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Healthy plant foods are linked to lower dementia risk.

“Plant-based” does not automatically mean healthy.

A new study shows association between plant-based diets and lower dementia risk, not proof of prevention.

We tend to reach for simple answers when it comes to protecting our brains: Eat this, avoid that, follow a single “best” diet. But a new large study published in Neurology reminds us that when it comes to nutrition and brain health, it is rarely that simple.

Researchers followed nearly 93,000 adults from the Multiethnic Cohort Study for about 11 years, examining how different plant-based dietary patterns related to the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. The results are compelling, but they need careful interpretation.

The headline: Quality matters more than labels.

At first glance, the takeaway seems straightforward: People who ate more plant-based diets had different risks of developing dementia.

But the real insight is more nuanced and useful: Not all plant-based diets were associated with lower risk.

Participants whose diets emphasized healthful plant foods, like whole grains, fruits,........

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