Research
Mixed
There is currently insufficient evidence from interventional studies to establish a causal link between plant-based diets and improved cognitive function or mental health.
Do not expect plant-based diets to directly improve cognitive function or mental health based on current evidence. While metabolic health improves significantly, the link to brain health remains speculative and requires more research.
ModerateRefutesLOW confidence
In addition, little is known, based on interventional studies about cognitive effects linked to plant-based diets. Thus, a causal impact of plant-based diets on cognitive functions, mental and neurological health and respective underlying mechanisms has yet to be demonstrated.
Why this rating
Based on scarce and inconclusive interventional studies; relies on extrapolation from metabolic benefits.
Source
The effects of plant-based diets on the body and the brain: a systematic review
Evelyn Medawar et al. · Translational Psychiatry · 2019
DOI 10.1038/s41398-019-0552-0
systematic_reviewCited 345×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Short-to-moderate-term plant-based diets (≤24 months) significantly improve metabolic health outcomes, including weight loss, glycemic control, and lipid profiles, compared to conventional omnivorous diets in healthy, obese, and type-2 diabetic populations.Good
- Plant-based diets modulate the gut microbiome towards a favorable diversity of bacteria species, but the functional 'bottom up' signaling from these microbial changes to host health remains highly speculative.Limited
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