The Link Between Food and Mood
We all have heard it before, “You are what you eat,” but do any of us really live by that mantra on a daily basis? It has become a concept that is sort of difficult to wrap your head around—mostly because the meaning is so convoluted. This mantra is inclusive of several ideas: that food can affect both our mental and physical states, that our bodies work physiologically differently when we eat certain foods, and that eating specific foods instead of others will somehow extend the length and quality of our lives. While all of these things are true to some extent, the way we use food muddies the waters when we talk about the role nutrition plays in our mood and overall mental health.
We eat to mourn the loss of a loved one and to celebrate the birth of another. We rejoice with our friends and family in celebration over a banquet of deliciousness. Some of us eat when we’re stressed, while others barely eat anything. To get a better grip on this, let’s consider our bodies as bank accounts. Most of the activities we partake in withdraw energy from our bodies—working, exercising, running errands—while the only way we can deposit energy back into our bank account is by eating or drinking. So, it stands to reason that if our bodies’ metabolism relies on food and drink in order to function at the most basic level, then certainly our mental state depends on it as well.
The cornerstone of every disease or condition is inherently connected to inflammation. Just like the cut on your finger that swells and turns red, inflammation can exist anywhere and predispose a person to a litany of conditions including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and mental/emotional stress. In turn, mental and emotional stress can cause inflammation, as well—which is why the foods we eat are so important. Changing the inflammatory state in the body has a direct impact on serotonin and dopamine, both of which control our mood, how we feel happiness or pleasure, and even how we sleep.
While there are foods we eat that can promote inflammation, there are just as many foods that can help to combat it. We know that foods high in saturated fat (including but not limited to beef, bacon, and fast foods) play a role in promoting systemic inflammation throughout the body and can suppress the creation of serotonin in the brain. We also know that physical exercise and eating foods inherently higher in fiber and antioxidants (such as fruits and vegetables) can not only suppress inflammation, but prevent it in the first place. You’ll notice that many of the foods associated with diabetes, heart disease, and other conditions are also the foods that can negatively impact the release of serotonin and dopamine. Indeed, many people who suffer from nutrition-related disease also suffer from depression, stress, or anxiety.
Gut health’s connection to mood and mental health is an area of increasing research. The foods we eat can directly affect the bacterial community in the gut, known as the microbiome, in terms of both diversity and number. The more diverse the microbiome, the healthier the gut. The microbiome plays a huge role in managing the neurotransmitters, peptides, and compounds released from the gut. Of interest is the shared neurotransmitters and receptors found both in the gut and in the brain.
Increased amounts of ghrelin (the peptide in the gut that tells you when you’re hungry), for instance, is associated with a physiological stress response that may be connected to overall mental stress. Though probiotic supplements may benefit the microbiome, eating a plant-based diet that focuses on higher fiber foods (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes) shows the most promise at this point.
The evidence is strong for the connection between vitamin B12 and folate and depression or depressive symptoms. Diets deficient in these two nutrients are shown to increase levels of homocysteine, which is an amino acid connected to the production of dopamine, serotonin, and other compounds in the brain. Increased levels of homocysteine are found in individuals with depression; low amounts of folate in the body may also prevent antidepressants from working as well as they should. A diet high in vitamin B12 includes foods such as salmon, tuna, and eggs; a diet high in folate includes foods such as leafy greens, broccoli, and garbanzo beans.
No one food, vitamin, mineral, or supplement should be considered a treatment for depression or other mental health issues. There is no information to suggest that nutrition alone can be a replacement for prescription management or counseling. However, nutrition and physical exercise may help prescription management and counseling to work better for you, and results will vary based on the individual.
While the most beneficial diet is one that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and other foods, there is nothing wrong with indulging occasionally in red and processed meats or fast foods. Regular, consistent intake of these foods is what promotes inflammation. Most importantly, choose a lifestyle approach that considers all foods but focuses on the ones most beneficial to you while engaging in regular exercise that makes you happy
