Choosing foods that are good for your heart may also have benefits for your brain, a new study suggests.

The study looked at how closely over 5,000 middle-aged women followed the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, which is rich in fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins, while limiting alcohol, salt, sugars, and fatty meats. Researchers found that women who most closely adhered to a DASH diet were 17 percent less likely to experience memory problems in old age.

“Many essential nutrients that are abundant in vegetables, fruits, legumes, and nuts have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that can reduce blood pressure and improve brain health,” says senior study author Yu Chen, PhD, MPH, a professor of population health at the New York University Grossman School of Medicine.

At the start of the study, when participants were 46 years old on average, they all completed dietary questionnaires that were graded on a 40-point scale with higher scores indicating greater adherence to a DASH diet. Decades later, when participants were 79 years old on average, they completed cognitive function questionnaires.

These cognitive assessments focused on skills related to memory: being able to recall recent events, remembering short lists of items, following spoken instructions, keeping up with group conversations, and the ability to navigate familiar streets.

People who most closely followed a DASH diet were significantly less likely to report challenges with more than one of these skills related to memory, according to results published in the journal Alzheimer’s and Dementia.

Whole Foods Are Rich in Antioxidants and Anti-Inflammatory Nutrients

One limitation of the study is that participants had to accurately recall and report their eating habits. Another drawback is that diet was only assessed once, when people joined the study, and participants’ eating habits may have changed over time.

Researchers also lacked data on several factors that might independently impact cognitive function over time including exercise habits, sleep patterns, and alcohol consumption.

Beyond this, the study didn’t objectively assess cognitive function, relying instead on data reflecting participants’ perceptions about any memory loss they may have experienced.

Still, there are several reasons why a DASH diet might promote brain health as people age, says Andrew Budson, MD, a professor of neurology at Boston University and chief of cognitive and behavioral neurology at the VA Boston Healthcare System.

“Colorful fruits and vegetables, along with legumes and nuts, are abundant in anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which could reduce brain cell death and promote improved brain cell vitality,” says Dr. Budson, who wasn’t involved in the new study.

A DASH diet can also help the brain by lowering blood pressure, Budson adds. “Reducing blood pressure reduces cognitive decline, likely because it reduces both large strokes and mini-strokes.”

How to Improve Your Diet for Better Memory

There are lots of small changes you can make to shift your eating habits so they more closely resemble a DASH diet, says Frank Hu, MD, a professor and chair of the department of nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston. Dr. Hu, who wasn’t involved in the new study, offers some tips:

• Include more veggies at lunch or dinner, and eat fruits as snacks or desserts.
• Substitute white bread and pasta with whole-grain versions.
• Replace white rice with brown rice or quinoa.
• Replace whole milk with skim or 1 percent milk.
• Select lean meats like poultry or fish instead of red meat.
• Limit sugary beverages or foods.
• Use herbs and spices instead of salt to flavor your food.

“Gradual changes to diet can promote heart health and therefore brain health,” says Nour Makarem, PhD, an assistant professor of epidemiology at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center’s Mailman School of Public Health who wasn’t involved in the new study. “It is important to remember that progress is better than perfect.”