In 2025, Changhu Sun and a team from Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine looked at data from 2,207 older adults in the US from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2011-2014). They created a score called the Dietary Index for Gut Microbiota to see how foods that help good gut bugs—like fruits, veggies, whole grains, beans, yogurt, and fish—affect thinking skills.

A 2025 review in Frontiers in Nutrition highlights that fish are rich in bioactive compounds, omega-3 fatty acids, and high-quality proteins, which can help prevent cardiovascular, neurological, and inflammatory diseases.