Every 3 seconds, one person in the world is diagnosed with dementia! Eat a Mediterranean diet to prevent dementia: Nutritionists reveal 3 key points

Every 3 seconds, one person in the world suffers from dementia. Studies have found that the Mediterranean diet can prevent dementia. Please ask the nutritionist:

1.What is the Mediterranean diet? 】

The main reason is that epidemiological surveys have found that the incidence of cardiovascular disease in Mediterranean countries such as Italy, Greece, Spain, and Portugal is relatively low. Therefore, local nutritionists have studied the eating habits of residents in these regions and found that they are characterized by high intake of vegetables, fruits, nuts, olive oil, red wine and fish. Therefore, they defined this eating pattern as the Mediterranean diet and promoted it.

2. What foods does it include? 】

(1) Consume plenty of vegetables and fruits:

It is recommended to eat 3-5 servings of vegetables and 2 servings of fruits every day, and try to combine vegetables and fruits of different colors, and aim to consume five colors of fruits and vegetables every day. The dietary fiber rich in vegetables and fruits can help intestinal peristalsis and promote intestinal health. At the same time, water-soluble dietary fiber has the effect of lowering blood cholesterol.

In addition, fruits and vegetables of different colors contain different phytochemicals. For example, orange carrots contain carotenoids, red tomatoes contain lycopene, purple grapes contain anthocyanins and resveratrol, and dark green leafy vegetables contain chlorophyll. These phytochemicals can help the body's antioxidant effects and are extremely helpful for good health.

(2) Nuts:

The oil in nuts is good oil. Nut oils are mainly composed of monounsaturated fatty acids, which are more beneficial to cardiovascular health than animal fats. The Ministry of Health and Welfare recommends that people consume one serving of nuts every day, which is about 7 almonds or pistachios, 2 walnuts, and 20-30 pumpkin seeds.

(3) Olive oil:

Since the Mediterranean diet often drizzles olive oil on lettuce salad, olive oil has been proven by many studies to have the effect of lowering low-density lipoprotein in the blood, thereby lowering blood cholesterol. In addition, since the smoke point of olive oil is only about 120-150 degrees, using it in a cold salad can prevent the olive oil from deteriorating, which is the best way to eat it.

(4) Fish:

Fish contains fish oil, which contains higher levels of EPA and DHA. Studies have shown that EPA has the effect of lowering blood lipids. These n-3 fatty acids in fish oil can also help fight inflammation in the body, reduce inflammatory responses in the body, and have good benefits for cardiovascular health.

Fish contains fish oil, which contains higher levels of EPA and DHA. Studies have shown that EPA has the effect of lowering blood lipids. These n-3 fatty acids in fish oil can also help fight inflammation in the body, reduce inflammatory responses in the body, and have good benefits for cardiovascular health.

(5) Whole grain intake:

Compared with refined white rice, the same weight of unrefined whole grains contains nearly 4 times more vitamin B1, 7 times more vitamin B2, 5 times more niacin, 2 times more folic acid, 3 times more potassium and calcium, 5 times more magnesium, and nearly 6 times more dietary fiber.

【3.What is the relationship between various foods and the prevention of dementia? 】

The relationship between the Mediterranean diet and the prevention of dementia can be summarized into three major directions:

(1) Antioxidant capacity in the body:

A large amount of fruits and vegetables can provide the body with powerful antioxidants (vitamin C, vitamin E, phytochemicals), which can save the body's main antioxidant (Glutathione) that helps the brain eliminate free radicals, thereby avoiding excessive oxidative stress in the brain, leading to damage to brain nerves, and further affecting the transmission of neural messages and memory.

(2) DHA from fish oil:

Many studies in the past have confirmed that DHA is related to the development of brain nerves and message transmission.

(3) B vitamins in whole grains:

Since B vitamins are closely related to energy metabolism in the body, if they are deficient, energy metabolism will be hindered, which will indirectly affect the brain's neural activity. In addition, folic acid is closely related to nerve development. If folic acid is insufficient for a long time, it may be harmful to brain nerves.

Since B vitamins are closely related to energy metabolism in the body, if they are deficient, energy metabolism will be hindered, which will indirectly affect the brain's neural activity. In addition, folic acid is closely related to nerve development. If folic acid is insufficient for a long time, it may be harmful to brain nerves.

【4. It has been reported that "oyster omelet" sold at night markets is also a good choice for preventing dementia. What is your opinion on this, nutritionist? 】

For the "oyster omelet" at the night market, the main focus is the oysters themselves. Oysters contain relatively high amounts of minerals such as calcium, zinc, iron, and iodine, and seafood is a low-fat, high-quality source of protein, so it is indeed a good choice.

But this may not be the case for oyster omelette. The oyster omelette sold at night markets uses more oil and usually uses ordinary quality salad oil, rather than the olive oil found in the Mediterranean diet (olive oil is actually not suitable for frying). It is recommended that oyster soup is a better choice than oyster omelette and fried oysters.

【5. Could you please prepare a simple menu for three meals for the public based on the foods in the Mediterranean diet? 】

Based on the characteristics of the Mediterranean diet mentioned above, I have configured the menu for the public as follows:

• Breakfast: Tuna sandwich + sugar-free grape juice.

• Lunch: Cheese whole grain bread with yogurt + nut lettuce salad with olive oil + black sesame milk.

• Dinner: Pan-fried salmon with fusilli and apple.