Do you feel lethargic after having a heavy meal? Do you rely on caffeine to keep your brain awake? If yes, did you feel any connection between your diet and mental health? You got it, right? 

Nutritional Psychology, an emerging branch of study, has started researching how nutrition influences your mental health.

Whether you are a student looking for mental clarity, a couple juggling between work-life balance, or a new mother with postpartum issues, stress can affect anyone. Along with medicines, a balanced diet can help you balance your mind and emotions as a supplementary treatment.

As Uma Naidoo, MD, Nutritional Psychiatrist, Harvard Medical School, in her book, ‘This is Your Brain on Food,’ says, “Until we solve nutritional problems, no amount of medication and psychotherapy is going to be able to stem the tide of mental health issues in our society.”

Keep reading to learn more about diet, mental health, and what foods help you lead a stress-free life.

How diet and mental health are linked

Is there any link between diet and mental health? Yes, there is! Your gut, the gastrointestinal system, is called the second brain for a reason. The trillions of living microbes in the gut play a major role in your body. It helps synthesize neurotransmitters that send chemical messages to the brain to regulate your mood and emotions. 

The complex interaction network between your gut and brain is called the gut-brain axis. Also, stress can have a negative impact on the vagus nerve, the central part of the brain, thus upsetting your gut.

Serotonin regulates sleep, appetite, and mood. The interesting part is 95% of serotonin receptors are produced in the stomach. These receptors help your brain communicate with nervous system cells and control emotions. 

This is why you feel on cloud nine when your serotonin levels are high. And depressed when your serotonin levels are low. 

Also, Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor or BDNF, a protein that protects your brain cells from damage. Lifestyle factors such as an unhealthy diet can affect BDNF levels leading to depression.

A study was conducted to identify four dietary patterns with maternal mental health

• Traditional-Indian-confinement diet
• Soup-vegetables-fruits diet
• Traditional-Chinese-confinement diet
• Eat-out diet

Between these four dietary patterns, only the traditional Indian-confinement diet and the soup-vegetables-fruits-diet showed reduced depression symptoms. The reason being the Indian diet consists of legumes, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and dairy products. Thus, it underlines the nutrition and mental health connection.

How food affects mood and disorders like anxiety and depression

The production of serotonin is highly influenced by ‘good’ bacteria that live in your large intestine, known as the gut microbiome. It contains microbes comprised of bacteria, fungi, yeast, and viruses. 

They are essential for your health for the following reasons. 

• Helps limit inflammation
• Absorbs nutrients from your food
• Aids in digestion and metabolism
• Acts as a strong barrier against toxins and bad bacteria
• Takes care of your emotions

As you know, the brain needs constant energy to function properly and derives energy from the food you eat. If you eat high-quality food, the nutrients from the food nourish your brain and remove free radicals from the body.

On the other hand, if you consume low-quality foods such as refined and processed foods, your brain can’t get rid of the free radicals. Also, refined sugar affects your body’s insulin regulation system and promotes inflammation and oxidative stress.

A study showed that individuals with a poor-quality diet were 39% more likely to have major depressive episodes than individuals on a good-quality diet. Consumption of soda or artificial juice was also associated with depression. Thus, the results show that poor diet and mental health are connected.

What food to eat for good mental health and well-being 

The concept of nutritious food is known to all of us from our great-grandparents, yet we ignore its importance over junk food. Let’s see what food and vitamins are good for mood and emotions. 

Foods

You don’t have to think hard about deciding on a food and mental health diet when everything is available in your kitchen. Keep reading to know what foods can nourish your brain. 

1. Fruits and vegetables

You can eat antioxidant-rich fruits such as berries (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries), oranges, and bananas. Berries are known to reduce cortisol production, a stress-related hormone. In vegetables, you can eat green leafy vegetables, which are a natural source of fiber.

Leafy greens help relieve anxiety and thus help you with mental health issues. Add seasonal fruits to your weekly or monthly diet chart to get all the necessary natural nutrients. A study indicates that at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables daily benefit your mental health.

2. Spices

Turmeric helps reduce inflammation and aids in brain cell repair. In Western countries, turmeric milk has been recently accepted as the ‘Golden Milk’ for its inflammation properties. A 2019 study proved the efficacy of turmeric among depressed patients. However, more follow-up studies need to be carried out to verify its benefits.

3. Nuts

Do you remember eating almonds for a memory boost during exams? Almonds not only help you with memory but also with stress. Nuts such as walnuts, almonds, Brazil nuts, and hazelnuts are rich in linoleic acid, magnesium, and antioxidants that help you to reduce stress. 

A study has shown that switching to a diet rich in foods can improve cognitive ability.  Soak a handful of almonds at night and eat them the following day. Soaked almonds are easily absorbed by your body and help keep your mental health strong.

4. Dark chocolate

Do you crave dark chocolate whenever you are down in the dumps? Do you feel better after satisfying your craving? We’re sure you do, as dark chocolate releases feel-good hormones in the body and helps reduce your stress. A study showed 57% lower depression symptoms in individuals who regularly ate dark chocolate than those who avoided chocolate consumption.

5. Fermented products- Yogurt

Yogurt is a rich source of probiotics providing good bacteria to improve your gut and boost the immune system. Also, it’s a good source of calcium, vitamin D, and proteins. In a study on how different dairy products affect anxiety levels, 311 Azorean university students were involved. 

The study showed that yogurt consumption was higher in the group with low anxiety levels than in the group with high anxiety levels. So, add fermented foods to your diet and feed ‘good’ bacteria to your gut. But make sure you consult your nutritionist before eating yogurt.

Vitamins

Vitamins are needed to synthesize the serotonin hormone to regulate your mood. Your gut will thank you if you stay away from alcohol, red meat, unhealthy fats, and refined foods and add vitamins to your diet for balanced mental health.

• Vitamin D

Vitamin D helps reduce depression and fatigue. You can soak yourself in the warm sun rays for 10-15 minutes a few times a week and eat fortified dairy products. You’ll feel lively throughout the day.

• Selenium

Selenium helps you improve your mood and reduces anxiety. The best way to get this vitamin is through whole grains such as whole wheat, broken wheat, ragi, rajgira, barley, and semolina.

• Omega 3 fatty acids

Omega 3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory properties. They can easily travel through cell membranes and interact with molecules to regulate your mood and also helps with depressive issues. You can get omega 3 from fish, flaxseeds, chia seeds, and walnuts.

• Vitamin A, C, E

Vitamins A, C, & E help fight oxidative stress, eliminate cell-damaging free radicals, and reduce chances of anxiety and depression. You can grab these vitamins from avocados, grapes, pumpkins, spinach, carrots, and mangoes. 

• Vitamin B, B12, and B9

Vitamin B, B12, and B9 help reduce the risk of mood disorders. Leafy greens, eggs, milk, and yogurt are the best vitamin sources to add to your diet. 

Everything comes down to what you eat. Whether it’s a nutritional diet or junk food, it’ll affect your microbiomes and, ultimately, your mood. One of the ways to track your dietary goals is to maintain a food and mood diary. It’ll help you understand the effects of food on your mental health.

References

1. Mayer, E. A., Nance, K., & Chen, S. (2022). The Gut-Brain Axis. Annual review of medicine, 73, 439–453. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-med-042320-014032

2. Selhub, E. (2015, November 16). Nutritional psychiatry: Your brain on food. Harvard Health. Retrieved May 3, 2023, from https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/nutritional-psychiatry-your-brain-on-food-201511168626

3. The Role of BDNF on Neural Plasticity in Depression. (2020, March 20). Frontiers. Retrieved May 3, 2023, from https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fncel.2020.00082/full