MIND diet. What is recommended and what is forbidden

Our brain works constantly, and even during sleep, complex reactions take place in it. Properly nourished, it improves the parameters of the processes it controls – the work of the heart and breathing are better, and the mood improves. – Thanks to the appropriate selection of nutrients, we are able to reduce the risk of many diseases, including dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Unfortunately, few people are aware that nutrition plays an important factor in the development of these diseases – says Mikołaj Choroszyński, psychodietician and gastrocoach. The MIND diet combines the Mediterranean diet with the DASH diet. – It’s a nutrition model that supports brain functions. A diet model in which nothing is forbidden – says the psycho-dietician. Mikołaj Choroszyński: The MIND diet is based on the assumptions of the Mediterranean diet as one of the healthiest nutrition models available. However, it differs on several important points. One of them is the reduction of fatty dairy products such as cheese or yellow cheese. I also recommend the use of kale, which is unlikely to appear in the Mediterranean model. When offering dishes, we use products that are naturally available in our latitude.

The food we most often reach for is processed, subjected to various treatments to extend its durability or appearance. It is not good for our health, and in addition, valuable vitamins and minerals are lost during processing. People who often reach for white bread, fried meat and sweet drinks become seriously ill at an earlier age. They suffer from cancer, cardiovascular disease, atherosclerosis, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease, which is progressing silently. According to forecasts, in 2050 over a million Poles will suffer from this disease – three times more than today. The best way to be healthy is to exclude such foods from our menu. Let’s prepare our own meals for ourselves and our family. Let’s make our own preserves. You also need to make a few minor changes to your menu: include vegetables and fruit, replace white bread with wholemeal bread, and a glass of sweet drink with a glass of lemon water. Mikołaj Choroszyński: The research leaves no illusions. Volunteers on a “clean diet” devoid of highly processed foods improved blood results within seven days. They lowered the level of “bad” cholesterol by 18 percent, the level of white blood cells (rising in diseases and inflammations of the body) by 11 percent. By the way, they lost an average of 0,6 kg and lost 1,5 cm of waist circumference.

– There are no prohibited products in the MIND diet. There are no measures, weights or calorie conversion. It can be used for a long time, says Mikołaj Choroszyński. – Most importantly, it is suitable for all age groups, including the elderly. You need to remember and use only products from 10 groups that should appear more often in our menu and 5 groups of products that should be limited – he adds. Recommended products are: 1. Green vegetables – preferably 3 servings a day; 2. Other vegetables – at least 1 serving a day; 3. Whole grain products – 3 servings a day; 4. Nuts and seeds – 1 serving per day; 5. Legumes – recommended at least 3 servings a week; 6. Berries – 2 servings a week; 7. Poultry – 2 servings a week; 8. Olive oil and unrefined rapeseed oil – daily; 9. Sea fish – at least 1 portion a week; 10. Red wine – 1 glass a day; Products that should be limited (the less the better): 1. Red meat, especially its preserves – less than 4 servings per week; 2. Butter and margarine – less than 1 teaspoon a day; 3. Yellow cheese – less than once a week; 4. Cakes and sweets – less than 5 servings a week; 5. Fried meals and fast food dishes – less than 1 serving per week; Mikołaj Choroszyński: – This model of healthy eating supports our entire body, although special attention is paid to the influence of antioxidant substances on the protection of areas of the brain particularly important for learning or memory.

Green vegetables are extremely important in the MIND diet. We should eat them three times a day. They are low in calories, you can eat them in any quantity without worrying about unnecessary kilograms. – Green vegetables are a natural source of ingredients with exceptional effects. They are rich in vitamins, antioxidants and fiber. They contain large amounts of three basic anti-aging vitamins: vitamin C, A and K – praises Mikołaj Choroszyński. Try to eat other vegetables as well, at least once a day. But be careful, you should choose seasonal vegetables, preferably bought from a local farmer or in a greengrocer. This ensures that they have not been sprayed with preservatives, which are to ensure that the vegetables survive a long journey. Choose vegetables of intense color – advises the psycho-dietician. – Plants with intense colors contain more compounds (polyphenols) that protect the body against aging – he explains. In winter, we can easily reach for frozen food. – Contrary to appearances, they do not lose many vitamins during freezing, nor are they subjected to intensive processing. For the most part, they are just well-washed and frozen vegetables. In winter, green-leaved vegetables are worth using kale. It grows naturally in Poland all year round, and has very valuable pro-health properties – says Mikołaj Choroszyński.

Berries also play an important role in the MIND diet. In our climate, they are fresh only in summer. What to replace them with in autumn and winter? Mikołaj Choroszyński: It is recommended to eat two portions of berries a week. In autumn and winter, I recommend using frozen fruit or preserves made of them, such as juices, marmalades or preserves. Of course, everything is right, because the preserves contain a lot of sugar, which does not have a positive effect on the condition of the body and brain. An interesting solution may be a glass of aronia wine with dinner. The basic sweet snack that may and should appear in the diet is fruit. – An example of such a snack is the bean brownie with chocolate, cocoa and banana [recipe below – ed.] All ingredients used have positive effects on brain function, supported by research. In addition, the fiber contained in the beans reduces sudden spikes in blood sugar. And just eating legume seeds contributes to the fact that we eat fewer calories in the next meals – explains the psychodietician.

By sticking to the principle of ten recommended products and five to be limited, we can freely compose our meals. It is important that even inaccurate compliance with the assumptions of the MIND diet gives visible results. Mikołaj Choroszyński: “Strict” diets are usually a torment and few people manage to maintain them for a longer period. There are no strict recommendations in the MIND diet. These are more indicators of which direction you should take and what effect this will have on your health. If you don’t like green vegetables, that’s fine. There are also no forbidden products. It is worth limiting only fried products, sweets, fast food, red meat, in particular its preserves, yellow cheese and butter. Many people are aware that these products are not conducive to health. However, it is important that someone reminds them of this from time to time. – We have an influence on our health at any age. However, the sooner we pay attention to what lands on our plate, the better – appeals the specialist. – A highly processed diet, rich in simple sugars and trans fats, makes the biological age of the brain and the whole organism much higher than the actual state. By introducing antioxidant products into the diet, normalizing the amount of food consumed and introducing physical activity, because it must not be forgotten, we are able to turn back the biological clock by several or even a dozen or so years. There are more and more studies confirming this fact.

Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with red lentils, sourdough bread, green salad. Stew the onion in butter. Add cooked lentils. Season with turmeric and white pepper. Stir until thick. Place the lentil portion on a plate and sprinkle with the remaining chives. The washed lamb’s lettuce and the tomatoes cut along the sides, sprinkle with sunflower seeds and vinegar. Serve the dish with fragrant sourdough bread. 5 tablespoons of cooked red lentils; a teaspoon of natural butter; a handful of young onion with chives; a spoonful of sunflower seeds; two slices of whole grain rye bread; a handful of lamb’s lettuce; a few cherry tomatoes; spoon of balsamic vinegar salt; white pepper; turmeric.

Blend all ingredients. Add a pinch of baking soda or baking powder. Put the dough into muffin molds and bake at 180 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve the brownie decorated with fresh strawberries and a mint leaf. Ingredients: a can of red beans; organic egg, banana; a handful of strawberries; fresh mint; spoon of cocoa; half a bar of dark chocolate; a pinch of baking soda.

Salmon, spinach burgers, cabbage baked with leek and tomatoes In a dish, combine salmon, egg, millet and garlic, add washed and chopped spinach. Lightly season with garlic, herb pepper and a pinch of salt. Put everything in the fridge for 15 minutes. Then form a burger, fry on a grill pan for 5 minutes on each side. Meanwhile, chop the cabbage and leek. Cut the tomatoes into quarters. Coat everything in oil and bake for 20 minutes at 220 degrees. Finally, season to taste. * If the mass is too thin, more groats can be added. Ingredients: fillet of wild Atlantic salmon; a large handful of spinach; 5 tablespoons of pre-cooked millet, egg, olive oil; clove of garlic; herbal pepper; salt; two handfuls of red cabbage; a piece of leek; tomato; coconut oil.

Grate cucumber cold soup with avocado. Grate the cucumber and avocado on a large-mesh grater. Pour all the tomato juice over it and season. Then pour the mixture into a bowl and sprinkle with chopped nuts, mint and oil. Ingredients: 3-4 ground cucumbers; avocado; a glass of tomato juice; lime and lemon juices; A teaspoon of honey; a bit of chili; a few walnuts; a tablespoon of cold pressed rapeseed oil; a sprig of fresh mint; sea ​​salt; black pepper A for drinking: highly mineralized water – 1,5l bottle; espresso coffee, sugar-free infusion – a cup; hibiscus tea, – a glass; red wine, Pinot Noir – glass.