<img src="https://healthylife7.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/aol_mens_journal_344-3.png” alt=”Men’s Journal”>Kelsey Kryger
Mon, August 17, 2026 at 7:35 PM UTC
The foods we put into our bodies on a daily basis impact more than just what our physique looks like. Diet plays a role in the deeper functions of the body, influencing vital organs all the way up to the brain. Research has found that many of the same risk factors that contribute to heart disease, including poor diet, can also increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia
Having a strong physique is nice, but protecting your health and longevity comes down to a matter of supporting the everyday functions that keep your body and brain firing on all cylinders. And one of the simplest ways to support better brain health is by making more intentional dietary choices
Eating the best diet for brain health boils down to choosing more foods that reduce vascular risk and neuroinflammation. We tapped Eric Anderson, MD, a neurologist and Chief Medical Officer of Lin Health, to learn about three foods he eats every single day to support his brain health
Best Foods to Support Brain Health
Salmon and Sardines
Fatty fish, including salmon and sardines, are staples in Anderson’s daily diet. He eats salmon once or twice a week and keeps tins of sardines on hand for quick snacking. Both are rich in DHA, the most abundant omega-3 fatty acid in the brain, where it plays an important role in maintaining neuron membranes and supporting receptor signaling and synaptic function. One study found that people in the highest quartile of plasma DHA had a 47 percent lower risk of developing all-cause dementia over about nine years.
EPA and DHA may offer another benefit by serving as precursors to specialized molecules called resolvins, which help regulate and resolve the body’s inflammatory response. A four-ounce serving of salmon provides roughly 1,000 to 1,800 milligrams of combined EPA and DHA, depending on the species, while a tin of sardines gives you about a gram
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Leafy Greens
No matter how old you get, you’ll never be able to escape the tried and true advice of eating your greens. Leafy greens like spinach, kale, and cabbage contain essential vitamins and nutrients that support brain health, including vitamin K, lutein, and folate. Leafy greens also contain dietary nitrates, which convert to nitric oxide, supporting healthy cerebral blood flow
One 2018 study of 960 older adults found that those who ate a median of 1.3 servings of leafy greens per day experienced a slower rate of cognitive decline. In fact, the researchers calculated that their cognitive function was comparable to that of people who were 11 years younger than those in the lowest-intake group
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
For his default healthy fat, Anderson swears by extra-virgin olive oil, which he uses to cook salmon and other foods. Rather than opting for butter or other highly processed cooking oils, olive oil is rich in brain-beneficial compounds like polyphenols and vitamin E. In one large analysis of more than 92,000 U.S. adults followed for 28 years, people who consumed at least half a tablespoon of olive oil per day had a 29 percent lower risk of dying from neurodegenerative disease
“Refined olive oil retains almost none of the polyphenols, on the order of a few milligrams per kilogram versus a few hundred in extra virgin, which is why grade is important when you’re buying it,” Anderson says. “The bitterness and the peppery catch at the back of your throat are the compounds themselves, so if the oil tastes like nothing, it probably contains close to nothing.”
Experts
Eric Anderson, MD, neurologist and Chief Medical Officer of Lin Health
Sources
Plasma phosphatidylcholine docosahexaenoic acid content and risk of dementia and Alzheimer disease: the Framingham Heart Study. Archives of Neurology, 2006
Nutrients and bioactives in green leafy vegetables and cognitive decline: Prospective study. Neurology, 2018
Consumption of Olive Oil and Diet Quality and Risk of Dementia-Related Death. JAMA Network Open, 2024
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