Can depression be caused by eating? What you eat really affects your mood!

In China, there has been a saying since ancient times that "food is the first necessity of the people", which shows the importance of food. The most basic function of food is to satisfy hunger and provide the body with necessary nutrients. However, the impact of food goes far beyond this. In recent years, more and more studies have shown that diet not only affects our physical health, but is also closely related to mental health.

Today, let’s talk about how food affects our psychology and what foods are good for our mental health.

Can depression be caused by eating?

In nutrition, the eating habits of some regions are considered unhealthy, the most typical of which is the Western -Type Diet, including hamburgers, pizza, French fries, bread, cake, ham and carbonated drinks, etc. The main characteristics of these foods are high fat, high sugar, high refined carbohydrates, high salt, highly processed foods and a lower proportion of fruits and vegetables, etc. The Western-Type Diet is usually closely related to physical diseases such as obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes , and is also related to the high incidence of mental health problems such as depression and anxiety .

The Mediterranean Diet, which is based on the traditional diet of the Mediterranean region such as Greece, Italy and Spain , is recognized as one of the healthiest eating patterns and is associated with longevity, cardiovascular health, lower risk of chronic diseases and good mental health . Its main characteristics include high fruits and vegetables, high fish, high whole grains, high olive oil, high nuts, low processed meat, and moderate amounts of dairy products and red wine.

Several studies have also demonstrated the impact of the above two dietary patterns on mental health. For example, a 2010 study of more than 1,000 adult women showed that women who mainly ate a Western diet were more likely to suffer from depression, while those who consumed more fruits, vegetables, fish and whole grains were less likely to suffer from anxiety or depression. Another follow-up study of more than 10,000 people in Spain over a period of about four and a half years found that the more people followed the Mediterranean diet, the less likely they were to suffer from depression , while the more fast food and baked goods they ate, the higher their risk of depression.
Similarly, a study conducted in my country on more than 5,000 teenagers also showed that unhealthy eating habits would increase their anxiety and depression symptoms, such as consuming more snacks and highly processed meat foods.

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In short, no matter what kind of cuisine, the food we eat will be reflected in our physical and mental health. Bad eating habits will gradually make our body and mind unhealthy, while good eating habits will make us nutritionally balanced and physically and mentally happy.

How to “eat” happiness ?

Food affects our physical health because the body's development and function require the nutrients in food to support it. As for how food affects psychology, we may discover it more in an empirical way. For example, people often say "eating sweets when you are in a bad mood will make you feel better", or eating a barbecue will make people feel happy.

Behind these empirical dietary recommendations is actually one of the directions that psychologists have been studying on the mechanism of food's impact on psychology, that is, food affects our psychology by promoting the release of certain neurotransmitters. For example, we all know that dopamine is a neurotransmitter closely related to emotions. In the eyes of many people, dopamine is equivalent to happiness, and dopamine is even used to describe things that make people feel happy, such as dopamine food, dopamine outfits, and so on.

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Studies have found that high-fat and high-sugar foods can quickly activate the brain's reward system, release a large amount of dopamine, and make people feel happy . However, long-term reliance on these foods to stimulate oneself will lead to a decrease in the brain's sensitivity to dopamine , which means that more high-sugar and high-fat foods need to be consumed to obtain the same sense of pleasure, forming a vicious cycle. At the same time, these foods are likely to increase the risk of health problems such as obesity and diabetes, which in turn will affect mental health. Therefore, although high-fat and high-sugar foods can provide instant happiness, it is not recommended to rely on this method to feel happy for a long time.

A healthier way to increase dopamine is to consume foods rich in protein and tyrosine , such as fish, eggs, beans, bananas, dairy products, and almonds. Because protein contains tyrosine, which is a precursor of dopamine, it can provide sufficient raw materials for the synthesis of dopamine . The dopamine increase provided in this way is relatively stable and will not cause the problem of decreased sensitivity. At the same time, these foods are often rich in nutrients such as B vitamins and Omega-3 fatty acids, which contribute to the health of the overall nervous system and indirectly support the normal function of dopamine.

In addition to neurotransmitters, the relationship between intestinal flora and brain health is also a hot topic for psychologists. Researchers have proposed the microbiome-gut-brain axis theory, which believes that intestinal flora communicates with the brain in a two-way manner through neural, immune and endocrine pathways, affecting brain function and behavior. For example, an imbalance in intestinal flora is believed to be associated with a variety of neuropsychiatric diseases such as depression, anxiety, and autism. The diversity of intestinal flora in patients with depression is significantly lower than that in healthy people. Supplementing with probiotics can improve symptoms of depression and anxiety.

These foods make you happier

We have mentioned many foods that are beneficial to mental health, as well as some unhealthy foods, and explained the principles behind them. In order to help everyone practice healthy eating habits in daily life, we have summarized a list of recognized dietary recommendations and avoidance guidelines that can make people happy physically and mentally.

Recommended food

Foods rich in protein and tyrosine: beef, chicken, fish and dairy products, such as milk, yogurt and cheese, as well as beans, almonds and bananas.

Foods rich in probiotics : Yogurt with active probiotics, fermented foods rich in beneficial bacteria such as kimchi and sauerkraut, etc.

Foods rich in omega -3 fatty acids: Deep-sea fish, such as salmon and sardines; seeds rich in plant-based omega-3 fatty acids, such as flax seeds and chia seeds.

Foods rich in fiber and antioxidants : Whole grains, such as oats, brown rice, and whole-wheat bread; fruits and vegetables, such as apples, bananas, carrots, spinach and other dark green vegetables, and berries, such as blueberries and strawberries.

The following foods need to be avoided

High- sugar foods: such as soda, juice, cakes, biscuits and candies, etc., are recommended to be replaced with water, green tea and sugar-free drinks.

· Eat less high-fat foods: mainly fast food and highly processed foods, such as fried chicken, hamburgers, French fries, sausages, bacon and ham.

High -salt snacks: For example, potato chips and shrimp crackers, which are loved by many people, it is recommended to choose fresh fruits, vegetables or low-salt nuts as substitutes.

References

[1] Bremner, JD, Moazzami, K., Wittbrodt, MT, Nye, JA, Lima, BB, Gillespie, CF, ... & Vaccarino, V. (2020). Diet, stress and mental health. Nutrients, 12(8), 2428.

[2] Godos, J., Currenti, W., Angelino, D., Mena, P., Castellano, S., Caraci, F., ... & Grosso, G. (2020). Diet and mental health: Review of the recent updates on molecular mechanisms. Antioxidants, 9(4), 346.

[3] Weng, TT, Hao, JH, Qian, QW, Cao, H., Fu, JL, Sun, Y., ... & Tao, FB (2012). Is there any relationship between dietary patterns and depression and anxiety in Chinese adolescents?. Public health nutrition, 15(4), 673-682.

[4] Gomez-Pinilla, F. (2008). Brain foods: The effects of nutrients on brain function. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 9(7), 568-578.

Planning and production

Author: Chen Yufeng, Master of Developmental and Educational Psychology

Review | Ruan Guangfeng, Deputy Director of Kexin Food and Health Information Exchange Center

Planning丨Ding Zong

Editor: Ding Zong

Proofread by Xu Lai and Lin Lin