by Erin D Marion - Published 6 months ago

Mental Health & Food: A Deeper Connection

Why is eating well good for your mental health?

Mental health is a complicated topic, and many factors can play a role in it, including physical activity and diet. For example:

Your brain uses about 20% of your energy from food and needs nutritious foods high in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, proteins, complex carbs, and healthy fats to work properly.
Eating mostly processed or refined foods can result in a low-nutrient diet, which may alter brain chemicals, meaning your brain could be less protected from damaging free radicals. This may lead to a higher risk of depression and anxiety.
Your food choices may also affect your gut and the billions of friendly bacteria that form your microbiome. These bacteria protect your gut lining, control inflammation, help you absorb nutrients, and send signals between your gut and brain (called the gut-brain axis) that influence mood and mental health.
A balanced diet rich in whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, oily fish, and seafood, such as with the Mediterranean diet, may lower the risk of depression by 25% to 35% compared to a diet high in processed foods.

But it’s important to know that food isn’t a cure-all.

According to Katherine Basbaum, RD, “mood disorders can last even if you eat well.”

Basbaum emphasizes that consuming nutritious foods contributes to overall well-being. He states, “A healthy diet can enhance your general health and potentially reduce the risk of mood-related conditions.”

Six Ways a Healthy Diet Can Benefit Your Brain and Mental Well-being

The question arises: how does what we eat affect our mental well-being?

Food acts as fuel, providing vital vitamins, minerals, and fats to the body (including the brain) which aid in serotonin production, reduce inflammation, and support overall cognitive abilities such as learning, memory, and focus.

1. Antioxidants Defend Your Brain

Free radicals are unstable, reactive molecules that can damage the body. Unfortunately, they are unavoidable.

Free radicals are produced during normal cell metabolism, environmental pollution, and even certain foods we consume. An excess of free radicals leads to "oxidative stress," which has been linked to brain-related issues, including depression and anxiety.

Choosing the right foods can help mitigate oxidative stress. Consuming antioxidant-rich foods like berries, leafy greens, nuts, seeds, and beans can help combat oxidative stress and its associated problems.

2. Preventing Inflammation and Cognitive Decline

Inflammation is the body's natural response to injury, illness, toxins, or foreign substances.

A diet high in unhealthy foods like saturated fat, trans fat, or added sugar can cause persistent low-level inflammation, which may contribute to dementia and cognitive decline as we age.

A healthy diet, sometimes referred to as an anti-inflammatory diet, can have the opposite effect, reducing inflammation and potentially lowering the risk of inflammatory-related mood problems.

Making dietary changes to include more fiber, omega-3s, vitamin C, and polyphenols from plants can help reduce inflammation.

3. Omega-3 Fatty Acids Nourish Your Brain

Your brain needs omega-3 fatty acids to create new cells and pathways, store energy, send signals, and regulate inflammation.

Omega-3s are essential fatty acids, meaning they can only be obtained through food. Your body cannot produce these on its own, making them an important part of your diet.

Consuming more omega-3-rich foods can help lower inflammation, potentially protect the brain, and may help with mild cognitive impairment and mood. However, research on the link between omega-3s and mood shows conflicting results.

Studies have found that low intake of omega-3s may make some individuals more susceptible to mood disorders, and increasing intake may help prevent these conditions. However, other studies, while promising, show inconclusive results, and larger studies are needed to fully understand the impact of omega-3s on mental health.

4. Supporting the Gut-Brain Connection

Fermented foods like yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir, and tempeh are full of probiotics that promote healthy gut bacteria.

Studies, mostly on animals, suggest gut bacteria might affect how your brain handles stress, possibly reducing anxiety and depression symptoms. However, more human research is needed for solid conclusions.

Probiotic foods may also enhance communication between your gut and brain through the vagus nerve and brain chemical receptors.

Bacteria create proteins that activate these receptors and nerves, signaling your brain to regulate emotions and improve mood.

5. Magnesium and Vitamins Regulate Mood

A diet good for mental health provides your body with vitamins and nutrients that support your brain, increase energy levels, and regulate your mood.

For instance, magnesium can help balance stress hormones, improve stress and anxiety, and alleviate low mood symptoms like weakness and fatigue.

“B vitamins are other essential nutrients for proper brain and nerve function. Specifically, sufficient B6 intake can help regulate mood and prevent low moods,” explains MyFitnessPal registered dietitian Katherine Bausbam.

Vitamin D has comparable advantages.

“A lack of vitamin D is associated with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and depression, and getting enough vitamin D in your diet can help balance your mood.” Basbaum explains.

6. Proper Hydration Enhances Brainpower

The relationship between mental health and food also includes staying hydrated.

Your brain is 75% water, and an imbalance in water intake can lead to issues with thinking, memory, and mood.

Even slight dehydration can negatively affect your memory and alertness, while also causing increased anxiety and fatigue.

Tiredness and negative emotions, like anger, confusion, hostility, and depression, are also amplified by mild dehydration. Consuming sufficient water throughout the day can help manage your mental health and enhance your cognitive abilities.

Based on Basbaum's insights, the precise daily water requirement can vary from person to person, but the general suggestion is:

Adult men should drink 13 cups of water per day.
Adult women should drink 9 cups of water per day.

Water-rich foods (listed below!) account for 20% of your daily water intake and can help promote proper hydration.

Foods That Promote Mental Health

What foods should you eat to support good mental health?

A balanced diet includes plenty of protein, fiber, healthy fats, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals from whole, natural, and hydrating foods.

Make sure to include:

Fiber-rich whole grains: Brown rice, oatmeal, whole wheat pasta or bread, quinoa, millet, farro, and buckwheat
Complex carbs: Whole grains, bananas, apples, berries, melons, potatoes, and peas
Antioxidant-rich foods: Spinach, kale, swiss chard, citrus fruits, berries, nuts, seeds, meat, fish, shellfish, apples, grapes, and green tea
Omega-3s: Chia seeds, flax seeds, walnuts, canola oil, salmon, mackerel sardines, and fortified dairy or nut milk
Magnesium-rich foods: Whole grains, milk, yogurt, nuts, seeds, and leafy greens like spinach and kale
Foods rich in B vitamins: Tuna, salmon, chickpeas, chicken, dark leafy greens, oranges, and papayas
Vitamin D foods: Salmon, tuna, sardines, beef liver, fortified orange juice, and fortified milk
Hydrating foods: Cucumbers, celery, lettuce, bell peppers, melons, and berries

Finding the Ideal Diet for Better Health

Nutrition and mental health are interconnected.

Your diet influences how your brain and gut function, affecting how cells and nerves communicate, produce brain chemicals, store energy, and respond to stress.

While the relationship between food and your brain might seem complex, eating for well-being can be straightforward.