The Food Mood Connection

By now, it’s pretty common knowledge that what we eat can have a profound effect on our physical wellbeing. But research is also starting to show that nutrition can have an impact on mood and mental wellbeing.

As someone living with multiple mental illnesses, I can tell you that when I’m struggling, I’m willing to do anything to feel better. And trust me, I’ve tried a lot of different things to help with my recovery. Could something as simple as diet really be a way to help improve mood and treat mental illness?

Today, I’ll review some recent studies and their limitations, plus provide tips for eating well when your mental health isn’t the greatest. The first half of this post is pretty science-heavy, so if you’re only here for the tips, feel free to skip the first section!

As always, if you’re struggling with your mental health, please reach out to a trained mental health professional. Recovery isn’t easy, but I promise you’re worth it. You’re not alone.

Diet and Depression

A meta-analysis published in 2017 evaluated 21 studies from ten countries. They found that a dietary pattern that included a high intake of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fish, olive oil, low fat dairy and antioxidants, and a low intake of animal foods, was associated with a reduced risk of depression. They also found that a diet high in red and/or processed meat, and low in fruits and vegetables was associated with an increased risk of depression.

Another meta-analysis published in 2019 looked at 16 independent studies. They found that nutrition interventions significantly reduced symptoms of depression compared to the control groups. However, only one study included people who were diagnosed with clinical depression. The remaining studies simply evaluated symptoms of depression. It’s unclear from this study whether depressive symptoms would be improved in someone with a clinical diagnosis of depression.

A study called the “SMILES” trial evaluated the effect of a nutritional intervention on moderate to severe depression. The study went for 12 weeks. The nutritional intervention group received seven individual nutrition counselling sessions with a registered dietitian. The control group received a social support visit that was the same visit schedule and length as the dietitian visits. The study found that depression symptoms were significantly reduced in the group attending the dietitian visits. These effects were independent of changes in BMI, smoking rates, and physical activity.

Finally, a recent study looking at the relationship between frequency of fruit consumption and savoury snacking found that more frequent consumption of fruit was associated with reduced symptoms of depression and more positive psychological wellbeing. They also found that more frequent consumption of savoury snacks was associated with increased symptoms of depression, stress, anxiety, as well as poorer psychological wellbeing.

Diet and Anxiety

A study in older adults found an association between diet and anxiety levels. The dietary pattern that included the consumption of saturated fats and added sugars was consistently associated with higher anxiety levels.

A 2021 review assessing the relationship between anxiety and diet evaluated a total of 1541 studies. More than half of these studies were conducted using animal models. The animal studies reported mixed results in animals that consumed a “Western” style diet, with some showing increased anxiety and some showing reduced anxiety.

Observational studies in humans found an association between lower levels of anxiety and “healthy” diet patterns, the Mediterranean diet, traditional diets, vegetarian diets, consumption of breakfast, anti-inflammatory diets, and increased dietary variety.

However, as with some of the studies in diet and depression, most of these studies did not look specifically at anxiety disorders, but rather, symptoms of anxiety in otherwise healthy people. It’s unclear whether diet would produce reductions in anxiety for someone with a diagnosed anxiety disorder.

Limitations of the Studies

While the results of the above studies are promising, it’s too soon to say whether nutrition is an effective treatment for psychiatric disorders like depression and anxiety. It’s important to note that several of the above studies only found associations between diet and symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Unfortunately, this doesn’t necessarily demonstrate cause and effect. It’s possible that other factors related to low vegetable and fruit intake (like lower socioeconomic status) could have also influenced the results.

It’s also possible that people consumed a diet higher in saturated fats and added sugars because they were anxious or depressed, and not the other way around. And while the SMILES study showed promising results for people with depression, findings need to be replicated in larger groups and longer studies.

Tips for Eating Well when Life Feels Hard

Just because the research on food and mood is inconclusive doesn’t mean that nutrition isn’t an important self-care activity for when you’re feeling down.

But I get it. When you’re feeling down, preparing a meal can feel like an insurmountable task. Here are some of my favourite tips (that I frequently use myself) for eating well when your mood isn’t great.

Use Grocery Delivery Services

I don’t know about you, but I don’t like grocery shopping at the best of times. If my mood is low, the absolute last thing I want to do is leave the house to go get groceries.

Luckily, a beautiful thing called grocery delivery exists.

I know. Getting your groceries delivered can feel like a luxury, especially if you’re paying $5-$10 for the service. But it’s so, so worth it. Having your groceries delivered removes the barrier of having to go out in public when you might not have showered for days. Plus, some services allow you to restock your cart with past purchases to make the process even easier! Pro-tip: order a rotisserie chicken and save yourself the hassle of having to cook.

Keep a Well-Stocked Kitchen

Don’t feel like getting groceries delivered? No problem. By keeping your kitchen well stocked with long-lasting, nutritious foods, you can ensure you’ll be able to pull together a quick but healthy meal in a pinch. Here are some of my favourite kitchen staples:

Canned beans: Canned beans are a quick and easy way to add protein and fibre to your diet. Try throwing some chickpeas into your pasta or some black beans into a wrap.

Pasta: Is there anything better than a comforting bowl of pasta when you’re feeling down? Throw in some crushed tomatoes and chickpeas and you’ve got yourself a meal. Bonus points if you use whole wheat pasta for some extra fibre.

Frozen vegetables: If you thought fresh vegetables were the only option, I’m here with some good news – frozen vegetables can be just as nutritious as fresh, and are a heck of a lot more convenient. Keep a frozen stir fry mix on hand so that you can pull together a great meal quickly.

Eggs: Eggs are an absolute life-saver when I’m feeling down and unmotivated. My favourite way to prepare them is scrambled with crackers and raw veggies on the side, or boiled and sliced on top of ramen noodles. But let’s be honest – the possibilities with eggs are endless.

Nut butter: Sometimes, the humble PB&J is just what you need to get you through the day. You can whip one up in under a minute and the protein and healthy fats in the PB will help sustain you. Add an apple or a glass of milk on the side to make it a balanced meal.

Prepare Emergency Frozen Meals

Capitalize on the times you’re feeling good and make some extra meal portions that you can freeze and keep on hand for the extra-bad days.

Some of my favourite emergency meals include fried rice, stew, chili and curry. Add in some frozen vegetables to balance out the meal and you’re good to go.

Order Nutritious Take-Out

So, you’ve got no food at home, you don’t want to order groceries (because let’s face it, you don’t have the energy to cook), but you know you need to eat – what do you do?

I’m here to tell you that there’s nothing wrong with ordering take-out if that’s what you need to do to feed yourself. There are plenty of nutritious options out there (I’m a big fan of salads and burrito bowls). At the end of the day, eating take-out is better than skipping meals!

Be Gentle with Yourself

Sometimes, you’re going to skip the grocery delivery, ignore the frozen meals and just order a pizza. And that is ok! While it’s true that more nutritious foods might be a better choice, I understand that choosing those foods isn’t always realistic.

You’re already feeling crappy. Don’t make yourself feel worse by beating yourself up for ordering pizza. Eat the pizza, enjoy the pizza, and move on. Not every day needs to be a “perfect” day of eating.

Final Thoughts

Overall, it’s still too early to say whether nutritional interventions can be used to treat specific psychiatric disorders. But that doesn’t mean that eating regular, nourishing meals isn’t an important act of self-care you can do when you’re feeling down or anxious. Given the associations between healthy fats, whole grains, fruits and vegetables and mood, it’s worth trying to include these foods on a daily basis to help maintain mental wellness.

What’s your favourite tip for eating well when you’re just not feeling yourself? Let me know in the comments below!