Food and Mood Link - An Overview

Introduction

Nutrition has a significant role in the functioning of the human body. Not eating properly can make an individual weak and tired. It is found that variations in blood sugar levels and imbalance of nutrition are the reasons for mood swings. Eating habits also determine the mood and emotional well-being of an individual.

What Is Nutrition or Food?

Nutrition begins with food. The process by which the body nourishes and transforms food into energy is nutrition. Food provides essential substances called nutrients to the body. Food is all that one eats and drinks for energy to keep living. Nutrition is a part of the food needed by the cells of our body. All nutrients cannot be obtained from food.

Researchers have found a link between obesity, depression, and dietary factors. However, studies regarding food and mood are not conclusive. It is difficult to know about eating right. Certain foods help in making chemicals in the brain that are responsible for mood, attention, and focus.

What Is the Link Between Food and Mood?

The best food that enhances the mood should include complex carbohydrates, lean proteins, and colorful vegetables and fruits. Complex carbohydrates that include sweet potatoes, oats, beans, and quinoa increase the release of serotonin, a neurotransmitter responsible for mood. Proteins include fish, beef, chicken, eggs, yogurt, beans, etc. consuming proteins has been linked to increased dopamine and norepinephrine which are chemicals of the brain and are responsible for good mood, motivation, and concentration.

Fruits and vegetables contain vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. These nourish the body and enhance mood. The Mediterranean diet has gained popularity in decreasing symptoms of depression. Components like vegetables, fruits, omega-3-rich fish, legumes, and olive oil when taken in more quantities may help in reducing symptoms of depression.

A diet that includes whole, unrefined foods, proteins, healthy fat along fiber helps to keep blood sugar stable. This in turn is linked to improvement in mood and anxiety. Poor nutrition is one of the reasons for low mood. Depression and anxiety are the two mental health conditions that are common worldwide. These two can lead to the disability of an individual.

How Do Carbohydrates Affect Mood?

Consuming an increased amount of refined carbohydrates leads to obesity and diabetes. A food’s glycemic index is important as it shows how fast the food eaten gets digested, absorbed, metabolized, and affects blood glucose levels and insulin levels. Foods with high glycemic index have been shown to affect psychological well-being.

High dietary glycemic load and responses to it may lead to decreased concentration of plasma glucose. This lowered plasma glucose triggers the secretion of hormones called cortisol, adrenaline, growth hormone, and glucagon. Studies have found that these counter-regulatory hormones are responsible for changes in anxiety, irritability, and hunger. Researchers also found that frequent hypoglycemia (low blood sugar levels) may be responsible for mood disorders.

A diet with a high glycemic index may cause diabetes. Diabetes is always associated with comorbid conditions with depression. The pathophysiology of these conditions is different but they share common abnormalities like insulin resistance, brain volume, and neurocognitive performance in both conditions sharing overlapping pathophysiology. Inflammatory responses increase when high glycemic index food is taken. This shows a high diet with a glycemic index is associated with depression through the connection between mental health and immune activation.

What Is the Link Between Diet, Immune Activation, and Depression?

Studies have found that regularly following the Mediterranean diet may reduce the markers of inflammation in humans. Studies have shown that a diet rich in saturated fats stimulates immune activation. Many mental health conditions show increased inflammation, this shows a pathway that poor nutrition or a diet may have a risk for depression. The exact causal relationship between dietary inflammation with mental health has not been proved.

Some studies have shown that anti-inflammatory agents can reduce symptoms of depression. Nutrition that involves polyphenols and polyunsaturated fats and the Mediterranean diet have been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects. This shows that there may be a possibility that some foods may reduce the symptoms of depression that are associated with increased inflammatory status. One more study has shown that omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory properties and can prevent cytokine-induced depression.

As there is a complexity present between diet, inflammation, and depression, further studies are needed to know that improvement in immune regulation, through diet can reduce symptoms of depression.

What Is the Link Between the Brain, Gut Microbiome, and Mood?

It has been found that dietary patterns in the gut microbiome are affected by moods. Trillions of microorganisms live in the human gut. The gut interacts with the brain through neural, inflammatory, and hormonal signaling pathways. Some studies have shown that there is a relationship between the gut microbiome and emotions. Other factors that may affect the gut microbiome are genetic factors and antibiotics.

Diet is a modifiable factor that can be altered throughout life. An unhealthy gut may be related to a diet with less fiber, high in saturated fat, refined sugar, and added sweeteners. Consuming a high fiber, unsaturated fatty acids, and polyphenols diet increases the gut microbiome. This in turn metabolizes the food into anti-inflammatory metabolites. A recent study has shown that the intake of probiotics can decrease the symptoms of depression by acting on the gut microbiome.

What Are the Nutrients Required for a Healthy Mood?

Nutritional deficiency may develop if healthy food in sufficient quantity is not taken over some time. Nutrients that are required for a healthy mood are:

• Folate.

• Iron.

• Magnesium.

• Omega-3 fatty acids.

• Potassium.

• Selenium.

• Thiamine.

• Vitamin A, B6, B12, and C.

• Zinc.

• Calcium.

These should be incorporated into the diet regularly and foods that drain the individual mentally must be avoided.

Conclusion

Food is very essential for a healthy and fruitful life. Food provides energy and helps in the functioning of all the organs of the body. Eating right helps fight many diseases. Hence it becomes important to know about the food or nutrition, its importance, and how it is linked to mood. Knowing helps in identifying and seeking help from a healthcare provider early. Early diagnosis helps in achieving effective treatment. This in turn helps achieve a good quality of life.