Green Mediterranean Diet Linked to Slowed Brain aging in New Study
September 2025 – A new study reveals that a modified Mediterranean diet, dubbed the “green Mediterranean diet,” demonstrably slows brain aging, offering a potential dietary intervention against neurological decline. Researchers found critically important changes in key proteins associated with brain health and estimated brain age in participants following the diet for 18 months.
The study, a secondary analysis of the DIRECT PLUS randomized trial published in Clinical Nutrition, divided participants into three groups: one following general healthy eating recommendations, another adhering to a Mediterranean diet enriched with 440mg/day of nuts, and a third assigned to the green Mediterranean diet. This variant drastically limits red meat and processed foods while incorporating daily consumption of green tea (3-4 cups) and Mankai lenses – an aquatic plant rich in nutrients – consumed as a drink or soup.
Researchers monitored levels of Galectin-9 and Decorin, proteins in the blood indicative of brain health. Elevated levels of these proteins suggest a brain biologically older than the individual’s chronological age. Volunteers with higher initial levels showed improvement on the green Mediterranean diet. Specifically, after 18 months, researchers observed a “significant drop in Galectin-9” in the green diet group, unlike the other groups. while Decorin levels increased across all groups, the increase was substantially less pronounced in those following the green Mediterranean diet.
MRI scans further supported these findings, estimating brain age. Participants on the green Mediterranean diet exhibited a slowdown in brain aging, with their brains appearing “younger” than expected.
The results suggest a direct link between dietary choices and the rate of brain aging, with the green Mediterranean diet offering additional protection compared to the customary Mediterranean diet. Researchers recommend incorporating regular green tea consumption and, were possible, Mankai lenses into one’s diet, alongside prioritizing “regular sleep” and managing blood sugar and tension, to support long-term brain health.
