Feeling blue? If you’re looking for a quick mood-booster, reach for a sugary snack. However, keep in mind that the after-effects of the sugar high might not be worth it.
Although turning to food for a mood lift may seem normal, it could actually make your mood worse in the long run.
It can be hard to know why someone is in a bad mood or why their mood is changing so much, since there are a lot of things that can affect it, like how much they sleep, work, the kind of relationships they have, how active they are, and their surroundings. But there is more and more evidence emerging that diet has a big impact on mood too.
Understanding Nutritional Psychiatry
There is a lot of research that has been done on the relationship between food and mood because it is such a complex topic.
Although nutritional psychiatry is a relatively young field of study, it is growing rapidly as more and more research is conducted on how diet impacts mental health. However, scientists, doctors and mental health professionals in this emerging field have come to some rather astute conclusions, for example:
- A 2020 review of 61 studies found that for some people, simply increasing fruit and vegetable consumption can improve mental health and emotional well-being.
- A 2015 review suggests highly processed foods may be associated with an increased risk for depression.
- A 2019 study concludes that certain foods, particularly antioxidant-rich foods, and other nutrients can be an adjunct treatment for depression. The study suggested that omega-3 fatty acids (EPA 740 mg and DHA 400 mg) improved depressive symptoms in patients. Although research is mixed, adequate folic acid and vitamin B12 also appear to play a role in preventing the risk of depression. Vitamin D also plays a role as it regulates calcium and serotonin in the body. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with an 8% to 14% increase in depression and a 50% increase in suicidal rates.
- Another 2015 report suggests that eating nutrient-poor foods over nutrient-dense foods (e.g., granola bars over fruits and veggies), can deprive the brain of vital nutrients and result in irritability.
The Food and Mood Connection: How Does Eating Healthy Affect Your Mental Health?
You may be wondering how food affects your mood. How is this possible, and why does it happen?
The issue at hand root cause lies in the connection between the brain and the gastrointestinal tract. There is a close connection between diet and emotions, so they often go hand in hand. The gastrointestinal tract is often referred to as “the second brain” because it is so important in regulating the body.
There are billions of bacteria in your gastrointestinal tract that can influence neurotransmitter production. What are neurotransmitters, then? There are chemical substances that are constantly carrying messages from your gut to your brain and they are important. There are two common neurotransmitters, dopamine and serotonin, which can have a positive impact on a person’s mood. A lack of dopamine and serotonin can cause someone to feel down, and in more serious cases, it can lead to depression.
Whenever you eat healthily, you’re actually promoting the growth of bacteria that is beneficial to your gut. This will improve neurotransmitter production. An unhealthy diet high in sugar can lead to gut inflammation. If you have inflammation, it will be more difficult for your body to produce neurotransmitters that improve your mood. If something begins to impede your productivity, you may start to feel negative emotions. The connection between food and mood is why we say that they go hand in hand.
The most common cause of inflammation in the gut is sugar. Not only does sugar have negative effects on your health, but it can also help feed harmful bacteria in your gut. Sugar can have a temporary positive effect on some neurotransmitters, including dopamine. This can trick people into thinking that eating sugary foods will make them feel better, causing them to eat more.
The truth is, this effect is only temporary. The neurotransmitter will have a spike and then a crash. This crash will have a very negative effect on your mood. This can result in a continuous cycle of your neurotransmitter levels rising and falling if you frequently eat sugary junk food.
If you’re hoping for more stable moods, you might want to cut back on sugar intake. A diet of healthy foods can actually lead to an overall happier mindset — it could also make it easier to stay focused. Diets rich in sugar and junk food can increase the risk of health problems like dementia or stroke, while healthy diets can help reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety.
If you are looking for a way to improve your mood, a healthier diet could be the answer. The fact that food and mental health are related should not be a surprise. Even though it might not fix everything, what you eat can still have a big impact on your mental health and how happy you are.
Foods That Might Boost Your Mood
If you want to improve your mood, eat foods that are rich in nutrients and have been linked to better mental health. A diet rich in fiber, protein, antioxidants, prebiotics, and essential fatty acids appears to have the most significant impact on mood.
Whole Grain and High-Fiber Foods
Whole grains and other high-fiber foods can improve your mood by filling you up and stabilizing your blood sugar.
Fiber plays a role in slowing the digestion of carbohydrates, which can help regulate blood sugar levels and prevent spikes and crashes.
High-fiber foods often contain essential nutrients that may help people who are stressed, according to a 2019 review of 18 studies.
Here are several whole grain and high-fiber foods that can support your emotional health:
- Rolled oats
- Quinoa
- Whole-grain bread
- Brown rice
- Amaranth
- Barley
- Beans and legumes
- Starchy vegetables (e.g., sweet potatoes , squash , pumpkin , peas )
- Starchy fruits (e.g., apples , bananas , cantaloupe )
Antioxidant-Rich Foods
Antioxidants protect the cells in your body from free radicals, which are unstable molecules that are linked to cancer and other diseases.
Low levels of antioxidants have been linked to depression, and scientists believe they play an important role in protecting and stabilizing neural mood.
Try adding some of these foods to your diet for a mood boost:
- Berries (e.g., raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, goji berries, mulberries)
- Dark leafy greens (e.g., spinach, arugula, kale, dandelion greens , turnip greens, collard greens, bok choy )
- Other vegetables (e.g., beets, asparagus, radishes, turnips, squash, artichokes, peppers)
- Coffee
- Dark chocolate
- Spices
Fermented Foods
Eating fermented foods is a great way to get probiotics, which are important for a healthy microbiome. Gut health is important for overall health, including your mood, according to research. Studies have shown that increasing your intake of probiotics can lead to an increase in serotonin levels. Some people might find it surprising that the majority of the serotonin in your body is actually produced in the gut.
Examples of fermented foods include:
Other fermented foods and beverages, such as bread and beer, don’t contain live probiotics since they go through filtering and cooking processes.
Foods High in Essential Fatty Acids
There are certain fats, called essential fatty acids, that you must get from your diet because your body cannot produce them on its own. Omega-3s and omega-6s are two types of essential fatty acids that are especially important.
Omega-3s have been shown to be beneficial for people suffering from depression or depressive symptoms. Essential fatty acids may also help to reduce anxiety.
Foods high in essential fatty acids include:
- Fatty Fish: salmon, sardines, cod, herring, mackerel, rainbow trout, tuna, perch
- Nuts and Seeds: walnuts, flax seeds, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, and hazelnuts.
- Certain Oils: flaxseed oil, and canola oil, safflower oil, and olive oil
- Other: avocados, olives, omega-3 enriched whole eggs
The benefits for better mood come from fatty fish that contain high levels of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). EPA and DHA are two types of omega-3s that come from plants. ALA is converted into EPA and DHA, which are then used by the body. In humans, the conversion rate of ALA to EPA is 5% to 8%.
Foods That Might Ruin Your Mood
The above evidence suggests that many foods can improve your mood and emotional health. Although some foods can have a positive impact on your mental health, there are plenty of other foods that can have a negative impact. This is a list of foods that have been linked to low moods and mood disorders.
Sugary Foods
As delicious as sugar may be, it is believed to worsen anxiety and depression. A diet high in sugar – especially from processed foods like candy and desserts – has been linked to an increased risk of mood disorders. Refined carbohydrates are linked to depression.
High-Fat Foods
Trans fat consumption has been linked to depression in research. Other research has found that there is a connection between dietary saturated fat and refined sugar consumption with brain inflammation.
Research studies are investigating the health effects of less healthy fats, such as trans fats and saturated fats found in fried foods, snacks and fast food. Healthy fats found in foods like avocados and olives are linked to a reduction in depression, as mentioned above.
Alcohol
No matter how many articles you see claiming red wine is good for you, alcohol, especially in excess, is not good for the body.
Although alcohol may make you feel good while you are drinking, it can also make you feel low afterwards.
There is a strong connection between alcohol abuse and mood disorders such as anxiety and depression. Alcohol is a depressant, which can explain the initial uplifting feeling you may get from drinking.
Additionally, consuming alcohol can result in consuming sugary and fatty foods which are associated with low moods.
A Food and Mood Experiment
Eating foods that cause inflammation has been linked to a higher risk of developing mood disorders and feeling generally down.
You might want to try avoiding highly processed foods and alcohol for a couple of weeks. After two weeks, you can have whatever you want. I feel sluggish and uncomfortable after eating. The next day I feel fine.
Food Habits to Boost Your Mood
The amount of time you spend preparing, cooking and consuming your meals can, too. How long you spend preparing, cooking, and eating your meals can affect your mood, not just the specific food items you’re eating. Your food-related habits and tendencies can also play a role in your condition. If you’re looking to boost your mood, consider building a better relationship with food and adopting the following habits:
Eat Regularly
We’ve already discussed how maintaining stable blood sugar levels can positively impact mood. Your blood sugar levels are affected by more than just the foods you’re eating. You should eat every few hours to maintain stead blood sugar.
When you go for long periods of time without eating and then eat a lot of food at once, your blood sugar levels probably drop often. If your blood sugar levels drop, you may feel irritable, tired, or depressed. Eating slow-release foods regularly can help stabilize blood sugar levels and avoid sudden drops or spikes.
Getting Your Five a Day
You should not only be eating fruits and vegetables, but you should also be consuming the correct amount of them. Try to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day.
You should eat a variety of fruits and vegetables to get different nutrients. It is important to focus on consuming fruits and vegetables of many colors, as this is an indicator of the nutrients they may contain.
No matter what changes to your diet you make, the basic nutritional principles remain the same. A good way to maintain your health is to focus on staying hydrated, eating regular meals, and limiting your intake of caffeine and alcohol.
You don’t have to make all of these changes at once. It’s okay to take your time. Making small changes to your diet, like being aware of what you eat and the way it makes you feel, can have big impacts over time.
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