According to a new research, a Mediterranean diet, includes high consumption of vegetables, olive oil and consumption of protein could prevent the brain shrinking in old age and help prevent cognitive decline.

According to The Telegraph, the new study shows that Mediterranean diet may help slow down inevitable brain shrinkage that happens in later life, keeping more brain cells active for longer.

The Mediterranean diet includes primary foods that are a lot of vegetables, healthy fruits, legumes, whole grains, nuts, olive oil and canola oil. The diet doesn't contain salt, herbs, and spices replace salt to flavor foods.

As per the report from MNT, hundreds of older people were under examination of this research. The researchers are examined their brain volume to compare and find out actual result in Scotland. Over three years hundred of peoples were under this examination.

The researchers found that those who closely followed a Mediterranean diet retained over the period. A 0.5 percent decreases in brain volume is half the size of what is considered a normal decrease due to the natural aging process.

Alzheimer's Society Research Manager Dr. Clare Walton reported that eating a healthy diet that's rich in oily fish, fresh Veg and nuts are good for your brain and can help to maintain memory as you get older.

Generally, at the older age brain starts shrinking and lost its cells that could be affect learning the power of the person and it also affects the memory.

But the Mediterranean diet could help from the closing of memory. University of Edinburgh research scholar Michelle Luciano said," age had the largest effect on brain volume loss, the effect of the Mediterranean diet was half the size of that due to normal aging"

However, the research finds less shrinkage of the brain in people whose diet includes Mediterranean diet in comparison to those who don't consume it.

The study was published in the journal Neurology.