What you eat affects how you feel. Here's how nutrition affects your mood, from your gut to the nutrients your brain relies on.
The human body is a complex machine. The human mind that has a whole domain of its own is even more complicated. Keeping our minds healthy is directly related to leading a happy and blissful life.
You’d be surprised to know how much effect your diet and nutritional intake can have on your mood. That is to say, you can shape your diet to support steady mental health and a peaceful life. Now, let's dive in further on how nutrition is tied to your mood:
Processed Foods and Gut Health
Before we discuss this further, you must know the connection between the gut and the brain and how it affects mood. About 90% of the body's serotonin is made in the gut, and serotonin is a bodily compound that plays a huge role in determining our mood. When we consume processed foods such as canned meat, soda, carbonated drinks, hydrogenated fats, and laboratory-made edibles such as food colorings and additives, our gut health is affected.
There are microbes present in your gut, and eating too many processed foods upsets the balance between good and bad microbes, which can affect mental health. In the relatively new field of nutritional psychiatry, patients are counseled with a diet plan that contains foods which support serotonin and preserve gut health.
Nutrition and Mental Health: How Food Affects Your Mood
This is the very agenda of our discussion but let us delve into it further. There is already a well-established correlation between your mood/mental health and your nutritional intake. Some foods, such as bananas, oats, dark chocolate, etc., may help lift your mood. That is why we often seek the comfort of chocolate products such as ice cream or beverages when feeling under the weather.
But rather than a temporary mood swing, the relation between food and mental health is greater. Fermented foods such as Yoghurt and Kimchi, which are rich in probiotics, promote the growth of good bacteria in your body.
Fast foods do offer us temporary bliss because of their taste, but they often throw our metabolism out of the window. They also cause our digestive system to have to work extra hard in order to digest and filter out all of the ingredients. An unsound body is directly related to an unsound mind.
Different Nutrients and Their Effects on Mood
Fats- There are good fats and bad fats. The good fats that you will find in nuts and seeds increase energy levels and help you stay focused. While bad fats, as in bacon, have been linked to low mood when eaten in large quantities daily.
Selenium- Is a mineral that affects our mood. It is present in many types of meat, fish, and vegetables. A low intake of selenium is associated with lowered energy and mood levels. So don’t forget to add this to your diet.
Magnesium - It plays a role in mood, and research has looked at its link with symptoms of depression. Coffee and dark chocolate contain magnesium, which may be part of why we feel so rejuvenated after consuming those. Spinach, legumes, avocados, nuts, whole grains, and rice also are rich in magnesium, and a gentle form like magnesium glycinate is an easy way to top up.
Fiber- Fiber is good for your digestive system. It keeps your bowel movements regular and your metabolism normal. In simple words, it keeps your gut happy. And we have already discussed how your gut health is vital to your mood.
Sugar - Sugar boosts serotonin levels, and that is to say, it affects our mood positively in the short term. That being said, you absolutely should not go around consuming too much sugar as it is detrimental to your health. Sugar comes under the label of processed foods that lift our mood instantaneously but affect our health negatively in the long run.
Finally
Now that you know how vital the food you consume is to your mood and mental health, here are some other things that you ought to know - hunger is one of man’s basic instincts. In earlier psychological studies, almost no attention was paid to the diet of humans as an essential component of mental health. But now, the scene is different. Doctors and researchers know that isolating one part of the body and studying it without considering the other parts is not fruitful. It is all about looking at the big picture and doctors have been doing it.
Similarly, nutritional psychology is not so much about the details as it is about the big picture. Processed food is not nutritious or good for your health, and while it can make you very happy for the time being, its long-term effect is not so appealing. Too much of anything isn’t good and can upset the balance of your alimentary canal. And since your gut is so important for your mood and mind, be sure to consume a lot of nutritious food! For more ideas, see our simple habits to take care of your mental health and how saffron may support a brighter mood.
If you add a supplement like magnesium, check with your healthcare provider first, especially if you're pregnant, nursing, or take medication.
