What to Eat for Better Mental Health

Eating well fuels your body and helps you feel your best physically. But did you know good nutrition also has a big impact on your mood? Choosing healthy foods can help you think clearly and stay alert. It can also improve your concentration and attention span.

On the other hand, a poor diet can make you feel tired, affect your decision-making and slow down your reaction time. What’s more, eating poorly can make stress and depression worse. One major issue is a reliance on processed foods, which are foods that have been changed from their natural form. They’re usually high in flour and sugar, and our brains crave more of them instead of nutrient-rich options like fruits and vegetables.

Highly processed foods are designed to be hyper-palatable and can reinforce reward pathways in the brain, making them harder to moderate. Reducing added sugars and refined carbohydrates can, over time, help retrain taste preferences and reduce cravings. Cutting out added sugars and refined carbs (starches that have been processed, such as white bread, white pasta and pastries) can change how your brain works.

The Best Diet to Combat Depression and Stress

Sugar and processed foods can cause inflammation, which may contribute to mood disorders like anxiety and depression. It’s easy to reach for these foods for a quick boost when you’re stressed or feeling down. During busy times, you might be inclined to skip a proper breakfast for a cup of coffee or choose fast food over fresh fruits and veggies. It can be tempting to have a pint of ice cream for dinner or skip dinner altogether.

People tend to eat too much or too little when they’re stressed or depressed, according to the American Dietetic Association. Eating too much can make you feel sluggish and lead to weight gain, while eating too little can leave you exhausted. Both habits can be hard to break and make things worse. But there is hope!

Choosing foods to support your mental health means focusing on fruits and vegetables, and foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids like salmon. Dark green leafy veggies are especially good for your brain. Nuts, seeds and legumes, like beans and lentils, are also helpful foods for mental health.

The Link Between Gut Health and Your Mood

Trillions of microorganisms known as microbiota or microbes live in our bodies. This collection is also called the microbiome. The largest amount of these microbes live in the small and large intestines (also known as the gut).

Certain bacteria are more common in the gut. Experts say these healthy gut bacteria prevent harmful bacteria from taking over and can help protect the immune system.

Researchers are also finding more evidence that “you are what you eat,” especially when it comes to the connection between gut health and mood. Our guts and brains are linked by the vagus nerve, which allows them to communicate. The gut can influence our emotions, and the brain can affect the type of bacteria in our gut. Gut bacteria produce neurochemicals that help regulate our mood and other mental processes, according to the American Psychological Association. A large proportion of the body’s serotonin is produced in the gut, where gut microbes play an important regulatory role. Stress can reduce the number of beneficial gut bacteria.

What to Eat for a Healthier Gut

Perhaps not surprisingly, eating for gut health is about limiting processed carbs and sugar, and eating healthier foods. Here are a few specific dietary changes that can help improve gut health and mood:

• Eat more fiber. Getting more fiber affects both the type and amount of bacteria in your gut. When the bacteria in the gut break down dietary fiber, the process releases short-chain fatty acids. This affects the level of acidity in the gut, which limits the growth of some harmful bacteria. One type of fiber that is good for the gut is called prebiotics. Most vegetables, beans and whole grains contain prebiotic fibers, but the best sources are garlic, onions, leeks, asparagus, bananas and seaweed.
• Introduce fermented foods. These are foods that have been altered by helpful microbes in a process designed to affect flavor, preserve the food and add beneficial bacteria. Fermented foods like kefir, yogurt with live active cultures, pickled vegetables, tempeh, kimchi, miso and sauerkraut are good options.
• Consider a Mediterranean diet. This type of diet includes mostly plant-based foods and healthy fats. This means eating plenty of veggies, fruit, beans, lentils and nuts as well as whole grains, extra-virgin oil, fish and a small amount of cheese and yogurt. Some research shows that a Mediterranean diet can affect the microbiome and increase the diversity and amount of healthy bacteria in the gut.

Mindful Eating

Paying attention to how and what you eat is a key step in ensuring you get balanced meals and snacks. Many people don't pay close attention to their eating habits, so nutritionists recommend keeping a food journal. Writing down what, where and when you eat can help you understand your patterns.

If you tend to overeat when stressed, try stopping to write down your feelings when the urge to eat arises. This can help you figure out what's really bothering you. If you tend to undereat, try scheduling five or six smaller meals instead of three large ones.

Learn more about mindful and emotional eating.

Sometimes, stress and depression are too severe to manage alone, and eating disorders can develop. If you struggle to control your eating habits, whether you’re eating too much or too little, your health could be at risk. In such cases, seeking professional counseling is important. Asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.

Better Foods for Your Brain

Your brain and nervous system need good nutrition to build new proteins, cells and tissues. To function well, your body needs a variety of carbohydrates, proteins and minerals.

Here are the top three foods for a healthy mental diet:

• Complex carbohydrates: Foods like brown rice and starchy vegetables provide energy. Quinoa, millet, beets, and sweet potatoes have more nutrients and keep you satisfied longer than sugary snacks.
• Lean proteins: These give you energy and help your body think and react quickly. Good sources include chicken, meat, fish, eggs, soybeans, nuts and seeds.
• Fatty acids: These are essential for brain and nervous system function. You can find them in fish, meat, eggs, nuts and flaxseeds.

Healthy Eating Tips

Regardless of the specific dietary pattern or foods you choose, healthy eating promotes both good physical and mental health. These tips can help put you on a healthier path:

• Avoid processed snacks like potato chips, which can hurt your concentration.
• Be mindful of where and when you eat. Avoid eating in front of the TV, which can lead to overeating. Instead, sit down, relax and enjoy your food. Chew slowly and savor the taste and texture.
• Choose healthy snacks like fruit, nuts, hard-boiled eggs, baked sweet potatoes or edamame for more energy.
• Don’t shop when you’re hungry to avoid unhealthy impulse buys.
• Eat healthy fats like olive oil, coconut oil and avocado to support brain function.
• Make a healthy shopping list and stick to it.
• Skip sugary snacks like candy and soft drinks, which cause energy spikes and crashes.