Horiatiki Salad Recipe and The MIND Diet for Brain Health: More Benefits of Olive Oil

I’m a huge fan of both Greek and Middle Eastern salads, the ingredients of which are not only delicious but also mainstays of the MIND (Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) diet, a way of eating designed for brain health. It’s an offshoot of the super-healthy Mediterranean diet and the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet. Why the distinction? Because the latest research on the MIND diet shows it can slow aging as well as reduce dementia risk. Add this to the list of the benefits of olive oil—it’s one of the super foods that MIND suggests including every day.

Horiatiki: The Sequel!

• A Very Berry 4th of July Trifle

  With all the components premade, this layered dessert of cake, custard, berries, and cream can be assembled in minutes…and up to 6 hours in advance. A footed trifle bowl is elegant, but any clear glass serving bowl that lets the layers show will create a festive presentation.

  Ingredients

  For the custard:

  • 4 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 4 whole eggs
  • 3 cups whole milk 
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

  For the assembly:

  • 1 quart or more mixed berries, preferably blueberries and strawberries
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 3 cups whipping cream
  • 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 olive oil chiffon cake recipe, 1 pound cake, or 1 package ladyfingers

  Directions

  Step 1

  Make the custard: In a large bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, sugar, and salt, then whisk in the yolks followed by the whole eggs. Continue whisking until the mixture turns light yellow; set aside.

  Step 2

  Place the milk in a saucepan and scald—you should see a light skin start to form, but don’t let it come to a boil. Vigorously whisk 1/4 cup milk into the egg mixture, then slowly whisk in the rest. Return the mixture to the saucepan and bring to a low boil over medium heat, whisking constantly for about 2 minutes (lower the heat as needed to prevent scorching). It should become quite thick. 

  Step 3

  Remove from the heat. Whisk in the olive oil and vanilla and transfer to a glass bowl. Let it cool to room temperature, then press a round of parchment paper over the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until cold, 4 hours up to overnight.

  Step 4

  Rinse and hull the strawberries. Set aside 6 of the best ones for a garnish and halve or slice the rest. Rinse the blueberries and pat dry; reserve a few for the garnish and add the rest to a large bowl with the cut strawberries. Toss with the 2 tablespoons granulated sugar; wait 20 or more minutes before assembly or refrigerate until needed, up to a day in advance.

  Step 5

  Whip the cream and the confectioners’ sugar until stiff peaks form; place in fridge for up to 6 hours if not using right away.

  Step 6

  Assemble the trifle: If using cake, cut into 1-inch cubes. Spread a dollop of custard across the bottom of your serving bowl; add a layer of ladyfingers or cake cubes. Top with half the remaining custard and half the berries. Repeat with another layer of ladyfingers or cake and the rest of the custard and the berries. Top with the whipped cream and decorate with the remaining berries. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 6 hours before serving.

  Yields 10 servings

• Olive Oil Hunter #220

  Soft Scrambled Eggs Recipe, Spotlight on Eggs, Vitamin D and Biological Aging, plus Exercise Boosts Brain Health—Even When Energy is Low

  There are a few foods that can be satisfying at any meal—breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Whether piled high on toast, topped with a crumble of bacon, or served alongside hearty potatoes, scrambled eggs is one of those dishes. They’re not complicated to make…once your pan is properly prepped. Eggs are a nutrient powerhouse, but there have been lingering concerns about their saturated fat. A study from Australia offers some welcome new thinking. I’m also sharing a study on a very special benefit of vitamin D and a fresh perspective on exercise for brain health.

  Soft Scrambled Eggs

  

  Healthy Ingredient Spotlight

  A Fresh Look at Eggs

  Chances are you’ve read conflicting advice over the years about whether to eat eggs and how many per day or week to have. A new study from Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, found that eggs have certain benefits for a specific part of the population. 

  Published in the journal Nutrients, the study found that for relatively healthy older adults, consuming eggs 1 to 6 times per week was associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality (death from any cause) and CVD mortality compared to those who rarely or never eat eggs.

  The study involved 8,756 adults aged 70 years or older, who self-reported the frequency of their total egg intake as never/infrequently (1 to 2 times/month), weekly (1 to 6 times/week), or daily (daily/several times per day), as part of the ASPREE Longitudinal Study of Older Persons (ALSOP) sub-study. ASPREE (ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly) was a large primary prevention aspirin trial of more than 19,000 participants in Australia and the US, mostly 70 years and older, and continues today as a longitudinal study.

  First author Holly Wild, a PhD candidate and lecturer from the Monash University School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, said that, compared to older adults who never or infrequently ate eggs, those who ate eggs 1 to 6 times a week had a 15 percent lower risk of death from any cause and a 29 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease-related death. “Eggs are a nutrient-dense food, a rich source of protein, and a good source of essential nutrients, such as B vitamins, folate, unsaturated fatty acids, fat-soluble vitamins (E, D, A, and K), choline, and numerous minerals and trace elements,” Wild said. “Eggs are also an accessible source of protein and nutrition in older adults, with research suggesting that they are the preferred source of protein for older adults who might be experiencing age-related physical and sensory decline.”

  The work also explored the relationship between egg consumption and mortality across different levels of diet quality—low, moderate, and high. “The study found that older adults with a moderate- to high-diet quality reported a 33 percent and 44 percent lower risk of CVD-related death, suggesting that the addition of eggs to moderate- and high-quality diets may improve longevity,” the researchers wrote.

  The current Australian Dietary Guidelines and the American Heart Association (AHA) recommend that adults with normal cholesterol can eat up to seven eggs per week, while some European countries suggest limiting eggs to 3 to 4 per week. The AHA also supports up to 2 eggs per day for older adults with normal cholesterol.

  “Previous research has observed a higher risk of mortality with egg consumption for those who have high cholesterol. For this reason, we also explored the association between egg consumption and mortality in people with and without dyslipidemia (clinically diagnosed high cholesterol),” Wild said. “We found a 27 percent lower risk of CVD-related death for participants with dyslipidemia who consumed eggs weekly, compared to their counterparts that consumed eggs rarely or never, suggesting that in this study cohort, the presence of dyslipidemia does not influence the risk associated with egg consumption. Our results suggest that eating up to six eggs a week may reduce the risk of death from all causes and cardiovascular-related diseases in older adults. These findings may be beneficial in the development of evidence-based dietary guidelines for older adults.”

  Of course, everyone is unique. Before increasing how many eggs you eat, talk to your doctor to see what makes sense for your health profile. 

  

  Quick Kitchen Nugget

  Eggs: Checking for Freshness

  Want a quick hack to see whether the eggs in your fridge are still fresh? Try the float test. Fill a large bowl or even a wide glass with cold water and gently add an egg. If it sinks and rests on one side, it’s fresh. If it sinks but stands upright, use it right away. If it floats, toss it. An egg that floats has lost moisture through the shell and its contents have shrunk.

  

  For Your Best Health

  Vitamin D and Biological Aging

  Results of a landmark study called the VITAL randomized controlled trial reveal that vitamin D supplementation helps maintain telomeres, the protective caps at the ends of chromosomes that shorten during aging and are linked to the development of certain diseases. The report, published inThe American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, is based on data from the VITAL Telomere sub-study co-led by researchers at Mass General Brigham and the Medical College of Georgia, and supports a promising role in slowing a pathway for biological aging.

  VITAL looked at the effects of vitamin D3 (2,000 IU/day) and omega 3 fatty acid (1 g/day) supplementation on US women aged 55 years and older and men aged 50 years and older for five years. The sub-study included 1,054 participants, whose telomere length in white blood cells was assessed at baseline and at year 2 and year 4.

  “VITAL is the first large-scale and long-term randomized trial to show that vitamin D supplements protect telomeres and preserve telomere length,” said co-author JoAnn Manson, MD, principal investigator of VITAL and chief of the Division of Preventive Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, a founding member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system. “This is of particular interest because VITAL had also shown benefits of vitamin D in reducing inflammation and lowering risks of selected chronic diseases of aging, such as advanced cancer and autoimmune disease.”

  Telomeres are made of repeating sequences of DNA, or base pairs, that prevent chromosome ends from degrading or fusing with other chromosomes. Telomere shortening is a natural part of aging and is associated with an increased risk of various age-related diseases.

  A few short-term small-scale studies have suggested that vitamin D or omega 3 fatty acid supplementation may help support telomeres, but results have been inconsistent. This study showed that compared with taking a placebo, taking vitamin D3 supplements significantly reduced telomere shortening over four years, preventing the equivalent of nearly three years of aging compared with placebo. Omega 3 fatty acid supplementation had no significant effect on telomere length throughout follow-up.

  “Our findings suggest that targeted vitamin D supplementation may be a promising strategy to counter a biological aging process, although further research is warranted,” said Haidong Zhu, PhD, first author of the report and a molecular geneticist at the Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University.

  

  Fitness Flash

  Exercise Boosts Brain Health—Even When Energy is Low

  We know exercise is good for our body, but what about our brain? A new study from the University of Missouri suggests that exercise plays a crucial role in keeping our mind sharp, even when one of the brain’s key energy sources isn’t available. The study, led by researchers Taylor Kelty, PhD, and R. Scott Rector, PhD, offers fresh insight into brain health and suggests that exercise could play a bigger role in preventing cognitive decline than previously thought.

  When the body runs low on its usual fuel—glucose—the liver makes ketones, an alternative energy source that helps power the brain. These molecules support cognitive memory, learning, and overall brain health. But what happens when the liver can’t produce enough of them? Can exercise help compensate for this ketone deficiency? Dr. Rector, the director of the Roy Blunt NextGen Precision Health building and a professor in the School of Medicine, and Dr. Kelty were determined to find out.

  For the study, they looked at what happens when ketone production is limited in the liver. As expected, the result was a noticeable decline in brain function and memory. But then something remarkable happened: Exercise managed to help reverse some of the cognitive decline, even with the ketone production impaired.

  “Going into the study, we thought that with fewer ketones and the cognitive impairments that causes, exercise may not be able to overcome that impairment,” said Dr. Kelty, a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Rector’s lab. “But it seems like exercise is so powerful that there are other mechanisms going on in the brain that allow it to circumvent those impairments and still receive the benefits from exercise.”

  “This study highlights how exercise benefits the body in a multitude of ways, even when we don’t fully understand all the molecular mechanisms involved,” Dr. Rector said. “Even when we remove a single pathway, exercise is doing so many other things that it can help mitigate those deficiencies.”

  The findings are especially promising for people with liver conditions that prevent the body from making ketones. Dr. Kelty pointed out that the emerging field of liver-brain research is beginning to show that individuals with severe liver dysfunction have a higher risk of developing dementia. “If ketone production in the liver is disrupted, it could be a potential cause of cognitive decline, ultimately leading to conditions like dementia,” he said.

  Ideally, this research helps raise awareness about the importance of ketone production to brain health and the impact exercise can have on staying mentally sharp. “There’s so much we’re still uncovering, and with all the state-of-the-art resources and interdisciplinary collaborations at Mizzou, it’s exciting to think about where this research might take us next,” Dr. Kelty said. “Exercise could be a key piece of the puzzle in preserving brain health as we age.”

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• Soft Scrambled Eggs

  One of the simplest dishes can often be the most difficult to make. If your pan isn’t preheated properly or if it isn’t well prepped, scrambled eggs can brown rather than stay yellow, stick in spots, or take seemingly forever to set. Here’s my simple hack for eggy perfection.

  Ingredients

  • 4 extra-large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • Fine sea salt
  • Freshly cracked black pepper

  Directions

  Step 1

  Heat your sauté or fry pan over moderately high heat for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, thoroughly whisk the eggs in a large bowl until no whites are visible. 

  Step 2

  When the pan is ready (a drop of water will sizzle and evaporate), lower the heat to medium-high and add the olive oil, rotating the pan so that it covers the bottom surface. Pour the eggs into the pan and immediately start moving them around with a heat-resistant spatula so that they cook evenly. Constant movement will help prevent brown spots. Take the eggs off the heat just before they’re completely firm—they will keep cooking.

  Step 3

  Divide the eggs between two plates, season with salt and pepper, and drizzle with olive oil.

  Serves 2

• Smashed Potato Pie

  Whether you want to skip the gluten of a typical pie crust or are simply looking for a tasty alternative, using new potatoes is a delicious choice. 

  Ingredients

  • 2 pounds new red or small Yukon Gold potatoes, rinsed and left whole
  • 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons sea salt, divided use
  • 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use
  • 1 medium onion, finely diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips
  • 6 asparagus spears, sliced on the diagonal into 2” pieces
  • 8 large eggs
  • 8 ounces shredded white cheddar cheese 
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 ounces freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
  • Optional garnish: your choice of fresh herbs

  Directions

  Step 1

  Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil. Add the potatoes and the tablespoon of salt. Boil until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes then drain. 

  Step 2

  While the potatoes are boiling, heat a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the onion, bell pepper, asparagus, and 1 teaspoon salt. Sauté until the vegetables are tender then transfer them to a bowl. 

  Step 3

  Preheat your oven to 400°F. Brush the skillet with a tablespoon of olive oil. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, place them in the skillet. Starting in the center, use a metal measuring cup to flatten them against the bottom of the skillet. Then use the side of the measuring cup to press them halfway up the sides. Check the “crust” to be sure the entire bottom of the skillet is covered. Drizzle the potatoes with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle on 1 teaspoon salt. Place the skillet in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes, until the potatoes are crispy. 

  Step 4

  While the crust is baking, whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Fold in the shredded cheese, vegetables, remaining teaspoon of salt, and black pepper. 

  Step 5

  When the crust in done, transfer the skillet to a heat-resistant pad or trivet. Carefully pour in the egg mixture. Sprinkle the Parmigiano-Reggiano evenly across the top and return the skillet to the oven. Continue baking until the eggs are set, about 20 to 30 minutes, depending on your oven. Let cool for 10 minutes before garnish with herbs, if desired, and cutting into wedges.

  Yields 6 to 8 servings

• Olive Oil Hunter News #219

  Hazelnut-Chocolate Spread Recipe, Spotlight on Hazelnut, Stress and Stroke Risk, plus Small Amounts of Physical Activity, Big Reductions in Dementia Risk

  I love being able to share healthier ways of making favorite dishes, and the following recipe is a fun one! Hazelnut-chocolate spread is delicious slathered on a piece of toast or pound cake, used for ganache, cake frosting, or pudding…or when you just want a spoonful of comfort food. We all know how important mental health is, and a new study that found a link between stress and stroke in women is another reason to rein in this emotion. The other research I’m sharing is on avoiding dementia: how even small amounts of exercise—also a great stress reducer—can help.

  Hazelnut-Chocolate Spread

  

  Healthy Ingredient Spotlight

  Why Homemade Hazelnut Spread is Healthier 

  Most packaged hazelnut-chocolate spreads are mostly palm oil, one of the most highly saturated fats among plant-based oils. On average, hazelnuts account for under 15% of the ingredients. Rather than using pure vanilla, they often contain vanillin, an artificial version. With homemade, you get more nutrients from the nuts, olive oil, and cocoa.

  

  

  Quick Kitchen Nugget

  Roasting Hazelnuts

  Readers of our newsletter and Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club members alike know that one of my mantras is always roast your nuts! Roasting intensifies flavor, so it’s worth the few minutes it adds to prep time. Simply preheat your oven to 400°F, spread out the nuts on a rimmed baking sheet, and pop them in the oven for about 5 minutes or until you can smell their delicious aroma. If the nuts weren’t skinned, turn them onto a clean kitchen towel after roasting and rub vigorously to remove as much of the papery skin as you can. 

  

  For Your Best Health

  Stress and Stroke Risk

  According to a study published online in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, some people living with chronic stress have a higher-than-average risk of stroke. The study looked at younger adults and found an association between stress and stroke among women but not among men. This study does not prove that stress causes stroke, only that there’s an association.

  “Younger people often experience stress due to the demands and pressures associated with work, including long hours and job insecurity, as well as financial burdens,” said Nicolas Martinez-Majander, MD, PhD, of the Helsinki University Hospital in Finland. “Previous research has shown that chronic stress can negatively affect physical and mental health. Our study found it may increase the risk of stroke in younger women.”

  For the study, researchers looked at 426 people ages 18 to 49 who had an ischemic stroke with no known cause. They were matched for age and sex with 426 people who did not have a stroke. An ischemic stroke is when blood flow is blocked to part of the brain. It can lead to weakness, trouble speaking, vision problems, and even death.

  Participants completed a questionnaire about stress levels over a one-month period. Those who had a stroke were asked to record the stress levels they experienced in the month prior to the stroke through questions like “In the last month, how often have you felt that you were unable to control the important things in your life?” Scores for each question ranged from 0 to 4, with 4 meaning very often. A total score of 0 to 13 represented low stress; 14 to 26, moderate stress; and 27 to 40, high stress. Those who had a stroke had an average score of 13, compared to 10 for those who didn’t have a stroke.

  People who had a stroke were more likely to have at least moderate stress levels. Of those who had a stroke, 46% had moderate or high stress levels, compared to 33% of those who did not have a stroke.

  After adjusting for factors that could affect the risk of having a stroke, including education level, alcohol use, and blood pressure, researchers found that for female participants, moderate stress was associated with a 78% increased risk of having a stroke and high stress was associated with a 6% increased risk. Researchers did not find a link between stress and stroke in male participants.

  “More research is needed to understand why women who feel stressed, but not men, may have a higher risk of stroke,” said Dr. Martinez-Majander. “In addition, we need to further explore why the risk of stroke in women was higher for moderate stress than high stress. Knowing more about how stress plays a role could help us create better ways to prevent these strokes.”

  A limitation of the study was that people experiencing higher levels of stress may have been less likely to enroll in the study, which could have affected the results.

  Fitness Flash

  Small Amounts of Physical Activity, Big Reductions in Dementia Risk

  

  A little movement could help prevent dementia, even for frail older adults, suggests a study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, published in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association. They found that engaging in as little as 35 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week, compared to zero minutes per week, was associated with a 41% lower risk of developing dementia over an average four-year follow-up period. Even for frail older adults—those at elevated risk of adverse health outcomes—greater activity was associated with lower dementia risks.

  Dementia, usually from Alzheimer’s disease, is one of the most common conditions of old age. It is estimated to affect about seven million people in the US, including about a third of those who are 85 years of age or older. Although the risk of dementia rises with age, studies in recent years have suggested that dementia is somewhat preventable, within a normal lifespan, with lifestyle changes that include better control of cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar, and being more active.

  The minimum amount of activity needed to reduce dementia risk meaningfully isn’t yet clear. For many older individuals, especially frail ones, the high amounts of exercise recommended in official guidelines are unattainable and may discourage any exercise at all. Both the US Department of Health and Human Services and the UK National Health System recommend that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week, an average of 20 minutes per day.

  For their analysis, the researchers analyzed a dataset of 89,667 adults, mostly in their 50s and older, who used wrist-worn accelerometers to track their physical activity for a week during the period from February 2013 to December 2015. Follow-up of their health status extended for an average of 4.4 years, during which 735 of the participants were diagnosed with dementia. (The data was generated as part of the UK Biobank project, a long-running, ongoing study of approximately 500,000 individuals.)

  The analysis compared individuals whose trackers showed some weekly moderate to vigorous physical activity to those whose trackers showed none and accounted for age and other medical conditions. The associations between higher activity and lower dementia risk were striking. 

  Dementia risk was 60% lower in participants in the 35 to 69.9 minutes of physical activity/week category, 63% lower in the 70 to 139.9 minutes/week category, and 69% lower in the 140 and over minutes/week category. Participants in the lowest activity category, ranging from one to 34.9 minutes per week, had an apparent risk reduction of about 41%. The study also found that even frail or nearly frail older adults might be able to reduce their dementia risk through low-dose exercise.

  “Our findings suggest that increasing physical activity, even as little as five minutes per day, can reduce dementia risk in older adults,” said study lead author Amal Wanigatunga, PhD, MPH, assistant professor in the school’s department of epidemiology and a core faculty member at the Johns Hopkins Center on Aging and Health. “This adds to a growing body of evidence that some exercise is better than nothing, especially with regard to an aging-related disorder that affects the brain that currently has no cure.”

  Dr. Wanigatunga noted that the study was not a clinical trial that established causation indicating that exercise reduces dementia risk, but its findings are consistent with that hypothesis. To check the possibility that their findings reflected undiagnosed dementia leading to lower physical activity, the researchers repeated their analysis but excluded dementia diagnoses in the first two years of follow-up. The association between more activity and lower dementia risk remained robust.

  Dr. Wanigatunga and his colleagues recommend future clinical trial-type studies to investigate low-dose exercise as an important initial step toward increasing physical activity as a dementia-preventing strategy. Funding for the study was provided by the National Institute on Aging.

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• Hazelnut-Chocolate Spread

  It’s one of the world’s favorite spreads, yet most packaged hazelnut-chocolate blends are mostly palm oil (high in saturated fat) and sugar with minimal hazelnuts and chocolate. My recipe emphasizes the two flavors you’re craving and has a minimal amount of sugar. It also keeps in the fridge for weeks, though the spread will likely be gobbled up long before that.

  Ingredients

  • 8 ounces shelled and roasted hazelnuts
  • 1 ounce dark chocolate, melted
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/3 cup sugar or equivalent
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla
  • Pinch of fine sea salt

  Directions

  Place the roasted hazelnuts in a high-powered blender or food processor and process until the nuts turn into a paste. Be patient—depending on your machine it could take 5 to 8 minutes. Add the melted chocolate, olive oil, cocoa, sugar, vanilla, and salt, and process until fairly smooth. Transfer to a lidded glass jar and refrigerate.

  Yields about 1-1/2 cups

• Olive Oil Hunter News #218

  Smashed Potato Pie Recipe, Spotlight on New Potatoes, Sizing Up Cast-Iron Skillets, More Reasons to Boost Plant-Based Proteins and Easing Concerns About Soreness After Activity

  Viewers of the Great British Baking Show know that pies with “soggy bottoms” are a top fear of its contestants. There are no worries about that with this crust made from potatoes—a tasty version of a quiche that’s a win-win. So are the two studies I’m sharing. One busts the myth that we experience greater muscle soreness after workouts, a concern that leads many to scale back on workouts unnecessarily. The second provides food for thought from research that included data from 101 countries: it found that there are longevity benefits to getting more daily protein from plants.

  Smashed Potato Pie

  

  Healthy Ingredient Spotlight

  New Potatoes

  New potatoes are early-harvest spuds, just as rich in vitamin B6 and potassium as more mature ones but sweeter. Their thin, tender skins don’t need to be peeled, but they’re also more delicate—buy only what you’ll use within a week or two at most, and store in a paper bag in the fridge. Wash just before using, but don’t scrub or you risk wearing away the nutrient-rich skin. These potatoes also cook up fast. When drizzled with olive oil and roasted, the skins crisp up while the flesh becomes creamy—heavenly!

  

  Quick Kitchen Nugget

  Sizing Up Cast-Iron Skillets

  

  Many chefs love cast iron because of how well it retains heat, resulting in more even cooking. But most people own just one cast-iron skillet, if they own any. And chances are it’s either 10 or 12 inches. So, you might be surprised to learn that they come as small as 3-1/2 inches—great for making one perfect fried egg—and as large as 17 inches, and sometimes more. Another thing that might come as a surprise is that these pans can be either smooth or rough surfaced. Smooth surfaces are better for cooking delicate foods, like a fish fillet, without sticking. They’re also more expensive because of the manufacturing process needed to create that smoothness.

  

  For Your Best Health

  More Reasons to Boost Plant-Based Proteins

  A global study published in Nature Communications by experts at the University of Sydney has shown that people around the world who consume more plant-based proteins, such as chickpeas, tofu, and peas, have longer life expectancies. Alistair Senior, PhD, PhD candidate Caitlin Andrews, and their team at the Charles Perkins Centre studied food supply and demographic data between 1961 and 2018 from 101 countries to understand whether the type of protein consumed had an impact on longevity.

  Said Andrews, “Our study suggests a mixed picture when it comes to comparing the health impacts of meat- [and] plant-based protein at a population level. For the under-5s, a food system that supplies large amounts of animal-based proteins and fats, such as meat, eggs, and dairy, lowered rates of infant mortality. However, for adults, the reverse was true, where plant-based proteins increased overall life expectancy.”

  To understand the impact of plant- and animal-based protein diets on human longevity, the researchers analyzed publicly available data about the food supply across a 60-year period. The data included the amount of food produced per country, along with the levels of calories, proteins, and fats. The countries studied represented a range of food systems, including those where the consumption of animal-based protein is higher, such as Australia, the US, Sweden, and Argentina, and those where the consumption of plant-based foods is more prevalent, such as Pakistan and Indonesia.

  To compare the impact of different countries’ food supplies on life expectancy, the researchers corrected the data to account for differences in wealth and population size between countries. They then found that countries where the overall availability of plant-based proteins was higher, such as India, people had relatively longer life expectancies than countries where animal-based proteins were more readily available, such as in the US.

  Eating high levels of animal-based protein, particularly processed meat, has long been linked to a range of chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer. Plant proteins, including legumes, nuts, and whole grains, are associated with a lower risk of chronic diseases and overall mortality rates, with studies suggesting that plant-based diets have contributed to longevity in the most long-lived communities on the planet, such as Okinawa, Japan; Ikaria Greece; and Loma Linda, California.

  “Protein is a crucial part of the human diet, but as eating habits change and developed countries look to decarbonize, where we get our protein from has come under greater scrutiny,” said Dr. Senior. “The knowledge that plant-based protein is associated with a longer life is really important as we consider not only how our diets impact our own longevity, but the health of the planet.”

  

  Fitness Flash

  Easing Concerns About Soreness After Activity

  

  A study done by researchers from multiple institutions in the UK, published in the Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, has overturned the widespread belief that aging muscles are less resilient; they found that older adults experience less muscle soreness than their younger counterparts. 

  The research provided a comprehensive analysis of how aging affects muscle function, soreness, and biochemical markers of muscle damage after exercise. By pooling data from 36 studies, the scientists found that older adults do not experience greater muscle function loss after exercise than younger individuals. Younger adults were categorized as between 18 and 25 years old and older adults more than 35 years old. 

  The findings suggest that, despite physiological changes with age, muscle resilience remains relatively stable, allowing older people to continue engaging in regular physical activity without increased concern for prolonged weakness or loss of function.

  One striking discovery was that muscle soreness was consistently lower in older adults, around 34 percent at 48 hours and 62 percent at 72 hours, compared with soreness in younger individuals. Creatine kinase level, an indicator of muscle damage, was approximately 28 percent lower in older adults at 24 hours post-exercise.

  Interestingly, sex appeared to play a role in muscle function recovery, with males showing slightly greater decreases in muscle function after exercise than females. There was no observed impact of upper- or lower-body or exercise type (resistance training or endurance training) on muscle damage markers.

  “These findings are significant because they challenge the widespread belief that aging muscles recover more slowly or are more prone to exercise-induced damage. This misconception often discourages older adults from engaging in regular physical activity due to fears of prolonged soreness or weakness,” said senior author Lawrence Hayes, PhD, of Lancaster University Medical School.

  If older individuals experience less muscle damage symptoms than previously thought, recovery strategies, training programs, and post-exercise care could be adjusted accordingly. For example, older adults may not require significantly prolonged recovery periods compared with younger individuals, potentially allowing for more frequent or intense training sessions, leading to better long-term health outcomes.

  Overall, this study reinforces the importance of staying active throughout life and dispels myths that aging equates to frailty or impaired recovery. These findings could contribute to greater participation in fitness activities among older adults, improving overall health, mobility, and quality of life.

  “This means exercise has no age limit, so move more to live longer and healthier,” Dr. Hayes said. “Aim for 150 minutes of activity each week, add strength training twice per week, and most importantly, find a workout you love. When you enjoy it, you’re more likely to stick with it.”

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• Olive Oil Hunter News #217

  Individual Lemon-Olive Oil Soufflés Recipe, Spotlight on Vanilla and Ramekins, Screening for Bone Density and Exercise to Reduce Falls

  Will it rise? Will it fall? Those are the common concerns of the soufflé baker. But making dessert soufflés isn’t as nerve-racking as you might think. The real secret is to serve a soufflé as soon as you take it out of the oven. Soufflés wait for no one and will start to fall after a few minutes, but if your guests are at the table, spoons in hand, there will only be oohs and aahs, not oh-no’s. This recipe brings together two of my favorite flavors: lemon and olive oil. I’m also sharing another key pairing, this one for bone health: the importance of tests to check on bone density and the benefits of exercise to prevent falls and the risk of a bone fracture.

  Individual Lemon-Olive Oil Soufflés

  

  Healthy Ingredient Spotlight

  Vanilla Varieties

  

  Chocolate lovers are often shocked to hear that vanilla is the more popular of the two flavors, at least when it comes to ice cream. The one thing that both have in common is the complex process that goes into turning their raw ingredients into delectable essentials. 

  Vanilla comes from the beans, or pods, of the orchid Vanilla planifolia, a vine that can grow to nearly 50 feet in length. But it takes careful pollination for the vine to bear fruit. This happens naturally only in Mexico, where the hard work is done by indigenous Melipona bees. Most of the world’s vanilla now comes from Madagascar, Indonesia, and Tahiti, where pollination is done by hand. It can take up to three years before the vine makes flowers, and the beans they produce must stay on the vine for nine months. Then the labor-intensive process of drying the pods begins. It’s no wonder that true vanilla is expensive. But, as with extra virgin olive oil, not everything labeled vanilla is real vanilla. In fact, the word “pure” is often used on the labels of imitation vanilla made from the synthetic vanillin, so you need to read the fine print when you’re buying anything other than whole beans. It’s estimated that 95% of products called vanilla are complete imitations.

  Whole vanilla beans are long, thin brown pods brimming with seeds that have been dried—but shouldn’t be dried out. They offer the most intense vanilla flavor. To release the seeds, score the length of the bean with a sharp paring knife and then use the side of the knife to scrape them all out. Nothing goes to waste: Bury the leftover pod in a jar of sugar to make your own vanilla sugar to add depth of flavor to recipes that call for sugar and to use as a sweetener in drinks.

  The most readily available form of vanilla is extract, the result of steeping ground beans in alcohol (this is why real vanilla extract has a high alcohol content). You will see other ingredients, typically sugars. 

  Another option is vanilla bean paste, a thickened version of extract brimming with vanilla seeds. It’s wonderful when you want a lot of flavor along with the visual appeal of the seeds—perfect for ice creams and puddings. When you don’t want flecks, in a pavlova for instance, use extract. 

  Vanilla bean paste and extract can be used interchangeably, teaspoon for teaspoon. If you want the deeper flavor of a vanilla bean, keep in mind that the seeds in one bean are equal to about 2 teaspoons of extract or paste.

  

  Quick Kitchen Nugget

  Ramekins

  An easy way to conquer fears over making a soufflé is to use individual ramekins rather than one large soufflé dish. Both are flat-bottomed porcelain bakeware with straight sides and a fluted outer detail, but ramekins shorten cooking time significantly (a large soufflé can take up to 45 minutes to fully cook and rise). They also make a pretty presentation. 

  

  For Your Best Health

  Screening for Bone Density

  The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recently issued updates to its 2018 osteoporosis screening recommendations. While the guidelines still emphasize the need for bone density screenings to prevent fractures in women 65 years or older, the task force now recommends the imaging test called the dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, or DEXA, scan. It uses a low-dose X-ray to quickly examine the hips, lumbar spine, and sometimes forearm to evaluate bone mineral levels. The images are compared to those of a typical 35-year-old and results are given in T-scores. A T-score of -1 or higher means your bones are healthy; a score of -1 to -2.5 indicates osteopenia, a mild version of bone loss; and a score of lower than -2.5 may mean osteoporosis.

  The test is now also recommended for postmenopausal women younger than 65 years who are at increased risk for an osteoporotic fracture. Risk factors include having a family history of osteoporosis, being underweight, having a history of recent fractures, having rheumatoid arthritis, or having taken certain medications such as steroids or some forms of chemotherapy. The prior recommendation for women in this group was just to use a clinical assessment tool to evaluate a risk.

  The USPSTF is now highlighting the use of the Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX) as a supplement to a bone mineral density screening. The FRAX score is your risk, based on statistics, of having a major osteoporotic event in the next 10 years. If you’re less than a 10 percent risk, it means that in the next 10 years there’s a 90 percent chance that you will not break a bone. It’s not a guarantee, but it means statistically you are strong enough that even if you fall and break a bone, you should be OK.
  
  Those in the medium range have between a 10 and 20 percent chance that if they fall they will end up with a broken hip or other major break. If you’re high risk, you have a 30 percent chance for a major event and your doctor will likely recommend lifestyle improvements and medications. The risk of a person who is older than 65 dying in the first year after having a hip fracture is around 30 percent.
  
  The USPSTF found that there isn’t enough evidence to say that men should be screened for osteoporosis to prevent fractures. Men should talk to their doctors about whether to screen; this decision should be based on each individual’s risk factors.

  

  Fitness Flash

  Exercise to Reduce Falls

  

  A new smart insole system that monitors how people walk in real time could help improve posture and provide early warnings for conditions from plantar fasciitis to Parkinson’s disease, according to a study published in the journal Science Advances. Constructed using 22 small pressure sensors and fueled by small solar panels on the tops of shoes, the system offers real-time health tracking based on how a person walks, which is a biomechanical process as unique as a human fingerprint.

  This data can then be transmitted via Bluetooth to a smartphone for a quick and detailed analysis, said Jinghua Li, PhD, co-author of the study and an assistant professor of materials science and engineering at The Ohio State University. “Our bodies carry lots of useful information that we’re not even aware of,” said Dr. Li. “These statuses also change over time, so it’s our goal to use electronics to extract and decode those signals to encourage better self-healthcare checks.”

  It’s estimated that at least 7% of Americans suffer from ambulatory difficulties, often having a hard time with basic activities that include walking, running, and climbing stairs. While efforts to manufacture a wearable insole-based pressure system have risen in popularity in recent years, many previous prototypes were met with energy limitations and unstable performances. To overcome the challenges of their precursors, Dr. Li and Qi Wang, the lead author of the study and a current PhD candidate at Ohio State, sought to ensure that their wearable is durable, has a high degree of precision when collecting and analyzing data, and can provide consistent and reliable power. 

  “Our device is innovative in terms of high resolution, spatial sensing, self-powering capability, and its ability to combine with machine learning algorithms,” she said. “So, we feel like this research can go further based on the pioneering successes of this field.”

  Their system is also unique because of its use of AI. Thanks to an advanced machine learning model, the wearable can recognize eight different motion states, from static ones like sitting and standing to more dynamic movements such as running and squatting. Since the materials used for the insoles are flexible and safe, the device, much like a smartwatch, is low risk and appropriate for continuous use. For instance, after the solar cells convert sunlight to energy, that power is stored in tiny lithium batteries that don’t harm the user or affect daily activities.

  Because of the distribution of sensors from toe to heel, the researchers could see how the pressure on parts of the foot is different in activities such as walking versus running. During walking, pressure is applied sequentially from the heel to the toes, whereas during running, almost all sensors are subjected to pressure simultaneously. In addition, during walking, the pressure application time accounts for about half of the total time, while during running, it accounts for only about a quarter.

  The smart insoles could support gait analysis to detect early abnormalities associated with foot pressure-related conditions like diabetic foot ulcers, musculoskeletal disorders such as plantar fasciitis, and neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease.

  Because the system uses machine learning to learn and classify different types of motion, it offers opportunities for personalized health management, including real-time posture correction, injury prevention, and rehabilitation monitoring. Customized fitness training may also be a future use, the researchers said. “The interface is flexible and quite thin, so even during repetitive deformation, it can remain functional,” said Dr. Li. “The combination of the software and hardware means it isn’t as limited.”

  Researchers expect the technology will likely be available commercially within the next three to five years. Next steps to advance the work will be aimed at improving the system’s gesture recognition abilities, which, according to Dr. Li, will likely be helped with further testing on more diverse populations. “We have so many variations among individuals, so demonstrating and training these fantastic capabilities on different populations is something we need to give further attention to,” she said.

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• Individual Lemon-Olive Oil Soufflés

  Making a curd and then folding it into stiff egg whites makes the prep for these luscious soufflés easy. You can even make the curd a day in advance and store it along with the egg whites (in a separate container) in the fridge—just take out the whites 30 minutes before you’re ready to cook because they whip better at room temperature. (The addition of a small amount of cream of tartar helps them stay firm.) Using individual ramekins makes it’s easier to judge when they’re ready compared to a large soufflé that can puff yet still be soupy in the middle. Firm on the top, the centers will still be creamy. 

  Ingredients

  • 4 large eggs
  • 3 large or 5 small lemons 
  • 1 cup sugar, divided use
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of fine sea salt
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
  • Optional: confectioners’ sugar, freshly whipped cream

  Directions

  Step 1

  Separate the eggs while still cold; set aside to come to room temperature, about 30 minutes. 

  Step 2

  Rinse the lemons and dry them thoroughly, then zest them with a microplane grater. You should have a generous tablespoon of zest. Juice the lemons; you should have a generous cup of juice. Some pulp is fine to leave in but remove any seeds.

  Step 3

  Whisk the egg yolks in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, then whisk in 1/2 cup sugar; add the lemon juice and zest, flour, vanilla, and salt.

  Step 4

  Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a very low boil, whisking constantly. Cook for 2 minutes to activate the flour, lowering the heat if necessary to prevent a rapid boil. The curd should be thick enough to coat the whisk.

  Step 5

  Off the heat, slowly whisk in the olive oil and continue whisking until completely blended. Allow the curd to come to room temperature before proceeding. (Pour it into a glass bowl, cover, and refrigerate if making in advance). 

  Step 6

  When the lemon mixture has cooled, preheat your oven to 375°F with a rack in the center position. Prepare four 8-ounce ramekins by brushing the inside surfaces with the butter and then dusting each with a scant tablespoon of sugar. Invert each ramekin and tap on the bottom to remove any excess sugar; set them aside. 

  Step 7

  Whip the egg whites on low speed for 1 minute to break them up, then add the remaining 4 tablespoons sugar and the cream of tartar. Increase the speed to high and whip until firm peaks form, about 5 minutes. 

  Step 8

  Using a spatula, fold 1/4 of the egg whites into the lemon curd to loosen it, then fold in the rest of the whites in a gentle motion to avoid deflating them. When only a few streaks of curd remain, spoon equal amounts into the ramekins; the mixture should almost reach the rim. Smooth the tops with a small offset spatula.

  Step 9

  Place the ramekins on a rimmed sheet pan and place the pan in the oven. Bake until the soufflés rise an inch or so above the rims of the ramekins and the tops feel firm to the touch, about 15 to 20 minutes, depending on your oven. Serve within 5 minutes with a drizzle of olive oil, a dusting of confectioners’ sugar, and a dollop of whipped cream, if desired.

  Yields 4 servings

• Olive Oil Hunter News #216

  Skillet Torta Recipe, Spotlight on Fresh and Dried Chiles, How to Choose Better Tortillas, The Brain and Processed Foods plus Does Cold-Water Immersion Impact Good Health?

  When you have the fresh spiciness of extra virgin olive oil to lavish on food, the dishes themselves don’t need to be complicated to taste delicious. This one-skillet torta meal is a case in point—prep time is minimal and it bakes in short order. You’ll also read about a provocative study that shows how the brain is involved in obesity and type 2 diabetes and another study that looked at the potential benefits of cold-water plunges. 

  Skillet Torta

  

  Healthy Ingredient Spotlight

  Chiles: Fresh and Dried

  

  Go to any garden nursery in the spring and you’ll see a huge selection of chile peppers for planting—a few varieties are a great addition to the vegetable garden. But which to choose? The amount of heat a chile adds to a dish varies widely, from about 1,000 Scoville units to well over a million (with few people finding those varieties pleasant to eat). An unusual fact is that many fresh chiles get renamed when they’re dried. Chipotle, for instance, is a dried jalapeño and ranges from 2,500 to 8,000 Scoville units. A poblano is a dried ancho chile, rather mild at 1,000-1,500 Scoville units, and a mirasol becomes a guajillo, in the 2,500-5,000 range. These are all relatively mild dried chiles that are great to have in your pantry. When you need to turn up the heat, chile de árbol has between 15,000 and 30,000 Scoville units. Online spice stores and Latin food markets usually have a good selection to choose from. 

  If you want to sprinkle on dried chiles the way you would red pepper flakes, toast one or two in a hot, dry pan for about 30 seconds to bring out their flavor, then chop in a spice grinder with or without the seeds, depending on how much heat you want. To use dried chiles for part of a salsa or other sauce, rehydrate them with a 20-minute soak in warm water before removing the stems and seeds and then chopping. 

  

  Quick Kitchen Nugget

  Choosing Better Tortillas

  Prepackaged white flour tortillas are not among the healthiest of foods, but there are now many alternatives available, not only whole wheat options but also wraps made from corn or other whole grains with beneficial fiber included. Be sure to read labels to find brands with a low sodium level and a minimum of added ingredients. 

  

  For Your Best Health

  The Brain and Processed Foods

  A recent study, done at the Institute for Diabetes Research and Metabolic Diseases (IDM) of the Helmholtz Center Munich at the University of Tübingen and the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD) in Neuherberg, offered intriguing new insights into the possible origins of type 2 diabetes and obesity as well as detail into the brain’s function as a critical control center and the complex roles of the hormone insulin. 

  Most of us think of insulin’s job as regulating blood sugar levels and energy metabolism, but there’s much more to it. When a person is in a healthy state (and at a healthy weight), insulin has an appetite-suppressing effect in the brain. But in people with obesity in particular, insulin no longer regulates eating behavior properly, resulting in insulin resistance. Brain insulin responsiveness is linked to long-term weight gain and unhealthy body fat distribution. The new research shows how little it takes to start this chain reaction. 

  The researchers divided 29 male volunteers of average weight into two groups. For five days in a row, the first group had to supplement their regular diet with 1,500 calories of highly processed high-calorie snacks. The second group—the control group—did not eat the extra calories.  

  Both groups underwent two separate examinations following an initial evaluation, one immediately after the five-day period and the other seven days after the first group had resumed their regular diet. The researchers used magnetic resonance imaging to look at the liver’s fat content and the brain’s insulin sensitivity. The fat content of the liver of the first group increased significantly after five days of increased calorie intake, and a significantly lower insulin sensitivity in the brain compared to the control group persisted one week after the participants’ return to their normal diet. This effect had previously only been observed in obese people.

  “Our findings demonstrate for the first time that even a brief consumption of highly processed, unhealthy foods (such as chocolate bars and potato chips) causes a significant alteration in the brain of healthy individuals, which may be the initial cause of obesity and type 2 diabetes,” said study leader Stephanie Kullmann, PhD, professor and deputy head of the division of metabolic neuroimaging at the University Hospital of Tübingen.

  Professor Andreas Birkenfeld, MD, director of the IDM, a DZD board member, and the study’s final author, concluded, “We assume that the brain’s insulin response adapts to short-term changes in diet before any weight gain occurs and thus promotes the development of obesity and other secondary diseases.” More research on how the brain contributes to these illnesses is needed in light of these findings, he added.

  

  Fitness Flash

  The Big Chill: Does Cold-Water Immersion Impact Good Health?

  

  From frigid showers to icy polar plunges, cold-water immersion is increasingly popular among athletes and wellness warriors. It involves immersing the body partially or fully in cold water, in temperatures typically ranging from 10° to 15°C, or 50°F to 59°F. Is it just good fun or is it also good for you? 

  In the most comprehensive review and analysis of its kind, University of South Australia (UniSA) researchers have taken a deep dive into its effects on health and well-being. They analyzed data from 11 studies with 3,177 participants with exposure at or above chest level and for a minimum time of 30 seconds, including cold showers, ice baths, and cold plunges. They found that cold-water immersion may lower stress, improve sleep quality, and boost quality of life…but there are limits.

  “Cold-water immersion has been extensively researched and used in sporting contexts to help athletes recover, but despite its growing popularity among health and well-being circles, little is known about its effects on the general population,” UniSA researcher Tara Cain said. “In this study, we noted a range of time-dependent results. Firstly, we found that cold-water immersion could reduce stress levels, but for only about 12 hours post exposure. We also noted that participants who took 20-, 60-, or 90-second cold showers reported slightly higher quality of life scores, but again, after three months these effects had faded.

  “[Other] benefits may be gained from cold showers as well, with one study reporting that participants who took regular cold showers experienced a 29% reduction in sickness absence. We also found some links to cold-water immersion and better sleep outcomes, but the data was restricted to males, so its broader application is limited. And while there have been many claims that cold-water immersion experiences can boost your immunity and mood, we found very little evidence to support these claims.”

  Co-researcher Ben Singh, PhD, said the study also showed that cold-water immersion caused a temporary increase in inflammation. “At first glance this seems contradictory, as we know that ice baths are regularly used by elite athletes to reduce inflammation and muscle soreness after exercise,” Dr. Singh said. “The immediate spike in inflammation is the body’s reaction to the cold as a stressor. It helps the body adapt and recover and is similar to how exercise causes muscle damage before making muscles stronger, which is why athletes use it despite the short-term increase. Knowing this, people with preexisting health conditions should take extra care if participating in cold-water immersion experiences, as the initial inflammation could have detrimental health impacts.”

  The researchers pointed out that while the findings highlight the potential benefits of cold-water immersion, they also underscore the highly time-dependent and contextual nature of its effects.

  “Whether you are an elite athlete or everyday wellness seeker, it’s important to understand the effects of what you put your body through,” Cain said. “Right now, there isn’t enough high-quality research to say exactly who benefits most or what the ideal approach is to cold-water immersion. More long-term studies, among more diverse populations, are needed to understand its lasting effects and practical applications.”

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For Your Best Health

The MIND Diet for Brain Health: More Benefits of Olive Oil

According to a new study from researchers at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and The Robert Butler Columbia Aging Center, a very specific brain-boosting diet has been linked to reduced dementia risk and a slower pace of aging. The study, “Diet, Pace of Biological Aging, and Risk of Dementia in the Framingham Heart Study,” published in the Annals of Neurology, also explains how the diet helps slow down the processes of biological aging.

“Much attention to nutrition in dementia research focuses on the way specific nutrients affect the brain,” said Daniel Belsky, PhD, associate professor of epidemiology and a senior author of the study. “We tested the hypothesis that healthy diet protects against dementia by slowing down the body’s overall pace of biological aging.”

The researchers used data from the second generation of the Framingham Heart Study, the Offspring Cohort. Participants were 60 years of age or older and free of dementia and had available dietary, epigenetic, and follow-up data. Follow-up was done at nine examinations, approximately every 4 to 7 years, which included a physical exam, lifestyle-related questionnaires, blood sampling, and, starting in 1991, neurocognitive testing. Of 1,644 participants included in the analyses, 140 developed dementia. 

To measure the pace of aging, the researchers used an epigenetic clock called DunedinPACE developed by Dr. Belsky and colleagues at Duke University and the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand. The clock measures how fast a person’s body is deteriorating as they grow older, “like a speedometer for the biological processes of aging,” explained Dr. Belsky.

“We have some strong evidence that a healthy diet can protect against dementia,” said Yian Gu, PhD, associate professor of neurological sciences at Columbia University Irving Medical Center and the other senior author of the study, “but the mechanism of this protection is not well understood.” Past research linked both diet and dementia risk to an accelerated pace of biological aging. “Testing the hypothesis that multi-system biological aging is a mechanism of underlying diet-dementia associations was the logical next step,” explained Dr. Belsky.

The research determined that higher adherence to the MIND diet slowed the pace of aging as measured by DunedinPACE and reduced risks for dementia and mortality. Furthermore, slower DunedinPACE accounted for 27% of the diet-dementia association and 57% of the diet-mortality association.

“Our findings suggest that slower pace of aging mediates part of the relationship of healthy diet with reduced dementia risk, and therefore, monitoring pace of aging may inform dementia prevention,” said first author Aline Thomas, PhD, of the Columbia Department of Neurology and Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain. “However, a portion of the diet-dementia association remains unexplained, therefore we believe that continued investigation of brain-specific mechanisms in well-designed mediation studies is warranted.”

“We suggest that additional observational studies be conducted to investigate direct associations of nutrients with brain aging, and if our observations are also confirmed in more diverse populations, monitoring biological aging may indeed inform dementia prevention,” noted Dr. Belsky.

Exactly What Is the MIND Diet?

MIND is a hybrid of the Mediterranean and DASH diets, tailored to reflect key findings from nutrition and dementia research. It details serving sizes of specific foods to focus on and which to limit, primarily those high in saturated fat, which is known to negatively affect brain health. 

Foods and portions to eat every day: 1/2 to 1 cup green leafy vegetables, 1/2 cup other vegetables, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, and three 1-ounce servings of whole grains. 

Foods and portions to eat over the course of each week: 5 ounces nuts, 2-1/2 cups berries, 1-1/2 cups legumes, two 3-to-5-ounce servings of skinless poultry, and 3-to-5 ounces fish.

Foods to limit to these weekly totals: three or fewer 3-to-5-ounce servings of red and processed meats, 1 ounce whole-fat cheese, 1 fried or fast food, and 4 sweet servings. If desired, no more than 1 teaspoon of butter or stick of margarine a day.

Mini Pistachio Thumbprint Cookies Recipe, For Your Best Health: The Mediterranean Diet (Still No. 1)

Among the most important news items I share in this newsletter are results of scientific studies on the benefits of olive oil and, in a larger context, the Mediterranean diet. I love to report on research that shows how this way of eating—and living—has positive impacts on heart and brain health and can help ward off serious chronic diseases including diabetes and dementia. 

It’s also rewarding to see how the diet has been adopted here in the US and how many of our esteemed institutions, such as the American Heart Association and the Cleveland Clinic, recommend it. An annual survey that so many people appreciate reading is the U.S. News & World Report’s ranking of dietary plans or “Best Diets.” And for the seventh year in a row the Mediterranean diet triumphs in the top spot. I’ll detail the highlights of the magazine’s reasoning right after this delicious recipe for cookies you can enjoy guilt-free—in moderation, of course.

Mini Pistachio Thumbprint Cookies

• Mini Pistachio Thumbprint Cookies

  With a minimal amount of sugar, these cookies pack all the heart-healthy benefits of nuts, a key food—along with extra virgin olive oil—of the Mediterranean diet. Though sweets are the smallest food group on the Mediterranean diet food pyramid, we know that an occasional treat can help us stay on track with this healthful way of eating. This recipe shows that you don’t have to make huge sacrifices to enjoy it.

  Ingredients

  • 1 cup shelled pistachios
  • 1-1/2 cups almond flour
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large egg whites
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
  • 1/4 cup raspberry or apricot all-fruit (no sugar added) preserves, such as Polaner or St. Dalfour

  Directions

  Step 1

  Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line two rimmed sheet pans with parchment paper. Use a spice or coffee bean grinder to pulverize the pistachios (you may need to do this is batches). Transfer to a large bowl along with the almond flour and sugar, and mix thoroughly.

  Step 2

  In a stand mixer or large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the egg whites and salt at a low speed until frothy, then increase the speed and beat until you get soft peaks. Briefly whip in the olive oil and the extracts. Fold the whites into the nut mixture with a large spatula until fully combined. The dough will be very firm.

  Step 3

  Using a 1-inch ice cream scoop or melon baller, make dough balls and evenly space them on the parchment-lined pans. Use your thumb to make an indentation in the top of each cookie, flattening the centers and then filling each with a half-teaspoon or so of preserves.

  Step 4

  Bake just until set, about 15 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. Wait 5 minutes before transferring the cookies to a rack to cool. When completely cooled, store in an airtight tin. 

  Yields about 44 cookies

For Your Best Health

The Mediterranean Diet: Still No. 1

According to the U.S. News & World Report 2024 rankings, created in partnership with The Harris Poll and with input from a panel of leading health experts, the Mediterranean diet has once again taken the No. 1 spot in the Best Diets Overall category, thanks to its focus on diet quality and primarily plant-based foods. The Mediterranean diet also claimed the top spot in the categories Best Diets for Diabetes, Best Heart-Healthy Diets, Easiest Diets to Follow, Best Diets for Bone and Joint Health, Best Family-Friendly Diets, and Best Diets for Healthy Eating, and the No. 2 spot in the Best Weight Loss Diets and the Best Plant-Based Diets categories. 

One of the reasons it’s both adoptable and adaptable is that there are so many cuisines to choose from when looking for recipes. Dishes that are popular in Turkey and Greece will offer different tastes than those from Italy, France, or Spain or from Morocco and other North African countries. But the unifying elements are the same: the emphasis on vegetables, fruits, extra virgin olive oil, nuts, whole grains, legumes, herbs, spices, and other plant-based foods that leave you feeling satisfied; minimal food processing; and a convivial atmosphere in the kitchen and at the table. 

The Mediterranean diet also ranks high for what it leaves out:saturated fat, added sugars, and excess salt—all so prevalent in the typical American diet and so likely to leave you wanting more because foods with a low-nutrient profile are not truly satisfying. Eating them regularly also poses health risks. Eating a Mediterranean-style diet, on the other hand, translates to a longer life, a higher quality of life, and a lower risk of chronic diseases such as cancer, dementia, and heart disease.

The Mediterranean diet food pyramid is a great way to visualize the foods to focus on and how often to eat them. Whole grains, legumes, vegetables, fruit, and olive oil make up most of your daily intake. Seafood can be enjoyed a few times a week; animal proteins like poultry, eggs, cheese, and yogurt less often; and red meat less often still. But you also have a lot of leeway, so you don’t need to feel guilty about eating foods not on the pyramid. Nothing is totally eliminated, though you’re advised to eat foods like sugary desserts, butter, heavily processed foods like frozen meals, candy, and refined grains and oils sparingly.

To get started on the Mediterranean diet, or to more closely follow it, U.S. News & World Report suggests these tips:

• Think of meat as your side dish and whole grains or vegetables as your main dish. 
• Look beyond Greek and Italian cuisines for inspiration—in all, 22 countries border the Mediterranean Sea!
• As with any diet, do some advance meal planning so you won’t be tempted by convenience foods after a long day at work. For instance, cook up a batch of grains or lentils on the weekend to use for meals throughout the following week.
• Make water your main source of hydration. Wine is considered optional and then only in moderation—one to two glasses per day for men and one glass per day for women.

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