Mood & Food

We all know that we are busier now more than ever. We try to balance too many things at once, and often this can lead to our mental health taking a back seat. One significant, and often overlooked factor in caring for our mental health is our diet. 

I’m sure you've heard of the saying “You are what you eat” – but this also extends into how we feel. Research suggests that not only does the food we consume fuel our bodies, but it also influences our mental health.

The Gut-Brain Connection:

We now know that there is an intricate network that link our gut and brain. This is often referred to as the gut-brain axis. The connection is formed through a complex set of biochemical signals that impact our emotions, mood and cognitive function. Making sure we have a balanced and healthy microbiota (the bacteria in our stomach) helps ensure that these biochemical signals are in the best shape possible.

Foods high in fibre, prebiotics and probiotics encourage the growth of a healthy microbiome. This microbiome produces chemicals such as serotonin and dopamine – which have long been associated with feelings of happiness and pleasure. Therefore, feeding this bacteria with the right foods can contribute to a healthy gut-brain axis! Foods such as whole grains, garlic, onion are good prebiotics whilst fermented foods like pickled vegetables (like kimchi), yoghurt, kefir are all great probiotics.

Some Key Nutrients:

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Primarily found in fatty fish like salmon & sardines as well as nuts and seeds like walnuts and flaxseeds. Omega-3 is known for it’s anti-inflammatory properties as well as improving symptoms of depression and anxiety if there is a pre-existing Omega-3 deficiency. 

Tip! Try adding fresh or tinned fish to your shopping list to replace the red meat one day a week, taking nuts and seeds as your snacks or sprinkling them on your next salad.

Complex carbohydrates

Foods like wholegrains, fruits and vegetables provide a steady release of glucose – which is the brain’s primary energy source. This can help minimize mood swings and support overall mental stability. 

Tip! Add delicious and affordable summer fruits and berries to your shopping list e.g. blueberries, strawberries, melons and stone fruits. They are all in season, and easy to chop up. They can be added to your snack rotations to balance out some of the cakes!

The Sugar roller-coaster:

Whilst sugar might taste great in food, it needs to be moderated, especially given that it is quite common in processed foods. Excessive sugar consumption can leads to rapid spikes and crashes in blood sugar levels, often leading to mood and energy swings. Further, a diet high in refined sugars (as well as unhealthy fats) has also been associated with an increase in symptoms of depression and anxiety. 

Tip! Replace the soft drinks and energy drinks with a diet or zero sugar version one day per week. You can also aim to include more unprocessed foods into you day e.g. veggie sticks and dips instead of chips or dried fruit instead of lollies.

Social and Mindful eating: 

We’ve all heard of it. In a nutshell it means we pay attention to what we are doing. When it comes to nutrition, this can mean listening to our hunger cues to ensure we are consuming just enough for what we need. Typically, this means eating until we are ~80% full. Removing distractions like phones and tv’s, as well as sitting down at a dinner table with others can all help with this too.

Eating with others can contribute to good mental health! Food is so much more than pure nutrition, it is also a means to connect with family, friends or absolute strangers! 

Tip! Create new rituals with your family or friends. This could look like:

-        On the last Sunday of the month rotate who is cooking dinner for everyone in your household.

-        Have themed nights! Someone gets to pick what cuisine you are eating and learn about that culture’s food.

-        Every weekend you have to buy a fruit or vegetable that you have never cooked with before and share it with the group! This way everyone gets to try a new flavour.

 Ultimately, whilst diet alone won’t be able to treat mental health conditions, it is an important factor that shouldn’t be overlooked. Making small, but sustainable changes to your diet can go a long way.

Written by Andrew Holland for Food Culture