Med diet prevents dementia

A DIET rich in olive oil can delay the onset of dementia, according to a new study.

Researchers from the University of Navarra looked at the impact of a Mediterranean-style diet on cognition; 522 men and women were put on one of three diets for six and a half years.

Those whose Mediterranean diet was supplemented with extra virgin olive oil were found to have the healthiest brains followed by those supplementing with mixed nuts.

A third group, who were consuming more fruit, fared worst of the test subjects.

They concluded that a Med Diet with Extra Virgin olive oil or nuts appeared to improve cognition compared to a low-fat diet.

Fat accounts for up to 40% of total calorie intake per day in a traditional Mediterranean diet.

It is considered one of the healthiest diets in the world, thanks to consumers traditionally reporting very low rates of cardiovascular disease and other chronic diseases compared to people consuming other diets.