Can the Food we Eat Affect our Mental Health?

Have you ever noticed a change in your mood based off of the foods you eat? Does junk food make you feel tired while fruits or vegetables make you feel energized? The foods that you eat throughout the day can have an effect on the functionality of your brain and your mood. This idea is called nutritional psychiatry.

If you think about it, your brain is working all the time. This means that it will need a constant supply of food, similar to how a car needs a gas. Ideally, you would want to give your car the best possible gas and it’s the same for your brain, you want to give it the best possible foods. There have been many proven connections between what you eat and how you feel or behave.

It is recommended that you eat a balanced diet that contains whole foods that contain vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. When you eat more foods that are good for your body, they can help to boost your energy levels and mood. An example of a balanced diet would mean making sure your meals have a source of protein (chicken, fish, eggs, lentils), a grain (rice, quinoa, bread, oats), and various fruits and vegetables. Doctors are beginning to suggest that patients with mood disorders make changes to their diet since they are seeing positive results in patients who eat healthier foods. An example could be incorporating more probiotics into your die. Probiotics are yogurt, miso, kombucha, sauerkraut, and more. Studies show that eating probiotics can help with anxiety levels, stress, and mental outlook.

In conclusion, the foods we eat can definitely have an affect on our mental health. This does not mean that we should restrict ourselves and only eat foods that are good for us. We should keep this idea in the back of our mind and make an effort to eat healthier foods but not stress about it. Who knew that small changes to our diets could have such a large effect on our brains!

Picture Source: health.harvard.edu