
DASH Diet Tops Diets for Brain Health, Harvard Study Says
A Harvard-led analysis of over 159,000 participants followed for up to 30 years finds the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet shows the strongest association with better brain health and lower subjective cognitive decline, outperforming Mediterranean-like patterns. Those with the highest DASH adherence had notably younger cognitive aging scores and better working memory; midlife adherence appeared especially protective. The diet emphasizes fruits, vegetables, nuts, berries, and low-salt, low-fat dairy while limiting added sugars, red meat, and alcohol. The findings, published in JAMA Neurology, are observational and future randomized trials are needed, but support heart-healthy eating as beneficial for the brain.













