Mediterranean Diet and Brain Health: Should Wine Still Be Included?

The Mediterranean Diet (MD) is famous for keeping the heart healthy, boosting longevity, and encouraging lots of fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, fish, and olive oil. Traditionally, this diet also includes a glass or two of wine a day. But new research from Portugal raises an important question: Is wine actually helping or quietly harming your brain?

Researchers looked at 75 Portuguese adults aged 55–85 who were at a higher risk of dementia. They wanted to see if adding wine as a “healthy habit” in the Mediterranean Diet actually improves brain health—or if it hides the true picture.

They compared two methods of evaluating the diet: the original version considered wine to be healthy, while the revised version considered wine to be unhealthy. They also checked how well the participants were thinking, remembering, and paying attention (1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Challenging the Wine Component in Mediterranean Diet Scores: Cognitive Outcomes in Portuguese Adults at High Risk of Dementia

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Wine As An Addition To Mediterranean Diet

1. The Mediterranean Diet looks healthier when wine is NOT included as a good habit
When wine was considered healthy, few people seemed to adhere to the Mediterranean Diet well. But when wine was treated as unhealthy, twice as many people showed good adherence. This means wine dramatically changes how healthy someone appears to be—even if their food choices are great.

2. Wine did NOT help brain health
When wine was counted as a good thing, the diet did not show any clear link with better brain function. But when wine was counted as a not-so-good habit, the Mediterranean Diet did relate to better thinking and memory scores. In short: The diet helps the brain—but only when wine is NOT considered part of the “healthy” package.

3. Why wine is becoming controversial
Although many people think moderate wine is good for the brain, newer research says otherwise:

• Alcohol may damage brain cells even in small amounts.
• Studies in different countries show that drinking is linked to faster cognitive decline.
• WHO says no level of alcohol is truly safe.

This study supports the idea that wine should not automatically be promoted as “healthy”.

Most participants were women, many were overweight or obese, and very few exercised regularly. Even though many had good income and education, only 17–33% were following the Mediterranean Diet well. This shows that even in older adults, healthy eating habits can be difficult to maintain. Interestingly, education level had a stronger impact on brain performance than diet, income, or physical activity.

People with more years of education scored better on thinking and memory tests, no matter how they ate.

So, What Does All This Mean?

• The Mediterranean Diet is still good for your brain
• Wine should NOT be counted as a healthy habit

Education and mental stimulation play a huge role in keeping your brain sharp.

A Mediterranean diet that does not include daily wine consumption may be the safest and most brain-friendly option for older adults. Focus on:

• Plenty of vegetables and fruits
• Olive oil is the main fat
• Nuts and legumes
• whole grains
• Fish
• Less red meat
• Little or no alcohol

Reference:

1. Challenging the Wine Component in Mediterranean Diet Scores: Cognitive Outcomes in Portuguese Adults at High Risk of Dementia - (https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/17/22/3576/)

Source-Nutrients Journal