We’ve all heard it from our parents and grandparents, “Eat your greens if you want to stay young and healthy.” And turns out that it is indeed true. Over the years, many diets have gained popularity, from weight-loss trends to diet plans that claim to boost energy or even extend lifespan. But now, researchers say a special eating pattern called the green-Mediterranean diet may actually help slow down brain ageing.
The green-Mediterranean diet is more like a twist added to the Mediterranean diet, which is already known as one of the world’s healthiest diets. The regular diet includes vegetables, olive oil, nuts, whole grains, fish, and chicken instead of red meat. The green version adds two daily foods, green tea and Mankai, a small plant also called duckweed. Experts say these extra foods may have special compounds that can protect the brain and slow ageing.
The findings, published on August 23 in Clinical Nutrition, come from a joint study by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and the University of Leipzig. Researchers say the study offers some of the strongest biological evidence yet that diet can directly influence how the brain ages.
What the study found
The research followed around 300 participants in the direct plus trial, one of the longest-running studies exploring the connection between diet and brain health. Over 18 months, participants were assigned to one of three diets: a standard healthy diet; a traditional calorie-restricted Mediterranean diet, with fewer simple carbs and more vegetables, poultry, and fish; or the green-Mediterranean diet, which added green tea and daily Mankai shakes.
When researchers analysed proteins in the participants’ blood, they discovered that higher levels of certain proteins were linked to faster brain ageing. These protein levels dropped in those who followed the green-Mediterranean diet. The team believes that the anti-inflammatory properties of green tea and Mankai may explain this protective effect.
Why does it matter?
Neurological conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and mild cognitive impairment are often tied to what experts call a “brain age gap,” when the brain appears older than a person’s actual age. “Studying the circulating proteins in blood allows us to observe how the brain’s ageing processes are influenced by lifestyle and dietary changes,” explained Anat Meir, a Harvard postdoctoral who co-led the study. “By mapping these protein signatures, we can see biological changes long before symptoms appear.”
Senior author Iris Shai, adjunct professor of nutrition at Harvard, added that these findings highlight the importance of everyday habits. While more research is needed, the study suggests that simple changes, like drinking green tea, eating more plant-based proteins, and choosing healthier fats, could help keep our brains younger for longer.