One of the most overlooked aspects of mental health is nutrition. Food plays an important role in our physical health, as well as our mental and emotional health.
Regardless of your dietary preferences, there are a variety of options that can provide you with mood-enhancing benefits. This is not to say that you need to revise your eating habits and only eat these foods, but being aware of which foods affect your mood can help you better manage symptoms of depression.
Related news
fatty fish
Wild fish, especially fatty types like salmon, mackerel, trout, sardines and tuna (not canned), are great options to help fight depression. Why? Because they are sources rich in omega-3 fats.
Omega-3 fats are important for brain health and may be involved in the functioning of serotonina neurotransmitter important in regulating mood.
In addition, the researchers analyzed 26 previously published studies (with more than 150,000 participants) that examined the link between fish consumption and depression risk. The study, which was published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Healthfound that people who ate more fish were less likely to experience symptoms of depression.
The findings demonstrated that further clinical trials are needed to explore the role of omega-3 fatty acids in depression and mental health.
Walnuts
Although other nuts such as cashews, Brazil nuts, and hazelnuts are useful for supplementing omega-3 fats, walnuts seem to be the winners in this category. It’s known that walnuts support overall brain healthas are one of the highest plant sources of omega-3 and a great source of protein to help keep blood sugar levels in a healthy balance.
One study found that depression scores they were 26% lower among those who ate about 1/4 cup of nuts per day. The? Researchers examined data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which is based on a large sample of more than 26,000 American adults.
They found that adults who ate nuts had more likely to have higher levels of optimism, energy, hope, focus, and increased interest in activities.
Legumes
Beans are a great source of protein and fiber, which help maintain stable and consistent blood sugar levels. In addition to helping minimize spikes and crashes in blood sugar that can affect our moodthe beans are also a great source of folic acid. Folate is a B vitamin that helps the body make blood cells, DNA and RNA, and metabolize protein.
The garbanzo beans they are high in folate and offer more than 100% of the recommended daily value in just 1/2 cup. Pinto beans are another great option, with a half-cup serving offering 37% of the recommended daily value of folic acid.
Seeds
the seeds of flaxseed and chia they are wonderful additions to your diet if you are struggling with depression. As with some of the other foods mentioned, these two types of seeds are particularly good sources of omega-3 fats. Just 1 tablespoon of chia seeds provides about the 61% of the daily recommended amount of omega-3 Y 1 tablespoon of flaxseed provides approximately 39% of the daily recommendation. ?
As you can see, these two seeds pack a punch if you’re looking for ways to improve your diet and mood. In addition, the pumpkin seeds They are a great way to increase tryptophan. Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that helps create serotonin. 4?
Although turkey is what most people think of as tryptophan, there are many other food sources that offer higher amounts of this essential amino acid. Pumpkin seeds top the list, with just 1 ounce providing about 58% of the recommended daily intake of tryptophan.
Poultry
Chicken and turkey are excellent sources of lean protein which can help stabilize blood sugar levels, keeping your mood well-balanced throughout the day. In addition to being reliable sources of lean proteinit’s known that turkey and chicken breasts provide high amounts of tryptophan. Again, this is beneficial because it helps create serotoninwhich helps us maintain healthy sleep and a balanced mood.
Just 3 ounces of grilled chicken breast offers 123% of the recommended daily intake of tryptophan. Many of us already eat chicken breast regularly, but incorporating more lean proteins like turkey and chicken throughout the week can help you increase your tryptophan intake.
Vegetables
Eating vegetables can be of great help if you are struggling with depression. One reason is that people with depression have been found to have a lower dietary intake of folic acid compared to people without depression. 5?
Folate, fiber, and other nutrients make vegetables, especially those with darker green leaves, are a wonderful option when looking for foods that help improve and stabilize mood. Green leafy vegetables are also good sources of alpha-linolenic acid (TO). ALA is one of the three main types of omega-3 fatty acids, the other two being DHA and EPA.
When considering vegetables to help boost your omega-3s, the power players tend to be Brussels sprouts, spinach, kale, and watercress.
probiotics
A growing body of research links good gut health with good mental health. Several studies have found that the microorganisms that live in your gut, including probiotics, may play a key role in regulating mood by helping reduce inflammation in your body, produce feel-good neurotransmitters and affect your response to stress.
This could be a factor in why a higher than average number of people with irritable bowel syndrome also develop depression and anxiety.
Foods that contain probiotics include:
kimchi
Kombucha
miso
Sauerkraut
Tempeh
tofu
Yogurt