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Green-Mediterranean diet linked to slower brain aging

Researchers think certain molecules in the diet keep brains younger

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Mark Huffman
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Mark Huffman has covered consumer issues since 2004, with a special focus on protecting and empowering older adults. A former news correspondent for the Associated Press Radio Network, Westwood One, and ConsumerAffairs, Mark brings decades of journalistic experience to RetirementLiving.com. He is passionate about giving consumers a voice and helping them make informed decisions. Mark has also created educational content, including Senior Scam Alert, a video resource designed to help seniors recognize and avoid fraud. He holds a B.A. from the University of Kentucky and lives with his family in Richmond, Virginia.
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Photo by Monika Borys on Unsplash

Key Insights

  • A “green-Mediterranean” diet may help slow brain aging, according to new research.
  • The diet builds on the traditional Mediterranean plan by adding green tea and the aquatic plant Mankai.
  • Researchers say the effect may come from anti-inflammatory compounds in these foods.

A new study suggests that eating a green-Mediterranean diet, rich in vegetables, fish, and poultry, but with the addition of green tea and the aquatic plant Mankai, may slow the pace of brain aging.

The research, published recently in Clinical Nutrition, is international in scope, conducted by scientists at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and the University of Leipzig.

Neurological disorders such as mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease are often linked to a “brain age gap,” in which the brain appears older than a person’s actual age. To investigate whether diet can influence this process, researchers studied nearly 300 participants from the DIRECT PLUS trial, one of the longest-running clinical studies examining diet and brain health.

Over an 18-month period, participants followed one of three diets: a standard healthy plan, a calorie-restricted Mediterranean diet, or the green-Mediterranean diet that included daily servings of green tea and Mankai. Researchers analyzed blood samples to measure protein levels associated with brain aging.

The findings revealed that higher levels of certain proteins were tied to faster brain aging. However, participants who followed the green-Mediterranean diet saw decreases in those protein levels.

Why green tea and Mankai may matter

Scientists believe the protective benefits may come from anti-inflammatory molecules in green tea and Mankai. 

“Studying the circulating proteins in blood allows us to observe, in a real-life setting, how the brain’s aging processes are influenced by lifestyle and dietary changes,” said Anat Meir, a postdoctoral research fellow at Harvard Chan School and co-lead author. “This approach gives us a dynamic window into brain health, helping to reveal biological changes long before symptoms may appear.”

By mapping these protein “signatures,” the researchers argue, scientists can better understand how nutrition and other interventions might preserve cognitive function.