Food and Mood
- Chris
- Apr 23, 2020
- 5 min read
Here is a post from Helen, who has some useful information around nutrition and our well-being.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What we eat, or what we don’t eat does have an impact on our mental health and the way that we feel. There is still have a lot to learn about the effects of diet on mental health, however evidence suggests that eating a healthy diet can be protective and improve our mood.
Here are a few tips to help you eat well and help you feel better.
· Try not to skip meals. Our brain needs a steady flow of glucose (the type of sugar that is in our blood) and nutrients to function properly. Try to have 3 meals/day or eat little and often if you have a poor appetite. Missing meals, especially breakfast, can lead to low blood glucose levels, leaving you feeling weak and tired.
· Eat foods from all of the 5 food groups. If you have plenty of variety in your diet, you are more likely to get all the nutrients that your body and your brain needs. The Eatwell Guide (below) shows the proportion of each food group that we should eat each day. Poor mood and low energy levels have been connected to low intakes of zinc, iron, B vitamins, magnesium, vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids. * See table at the end of the page for where these nutrients can be found.
· Eat fewer processed and sugary foods. Eating a lot of unhealthy, processed carbohydrates, such as white bread, pastries, sweets and sugary foods causes blood sugars to rise and fall rapidly, leading to low blood glucose levels in the brain. This can result in us having low energy levels and irritability. Choose wholegrain breads and cereals as these contain more nutrients.
· Go for healthier fats. Our brain is composed of about 50% fat and brain cells need a supply of the right fats to maintain their structures. A good supply of healthy fats is needed to maintain brain health. To do this you could use olive oil/ rapeseed oil for cooking, eat nuts and seeds, and use olive or nut oil dressings on salads. Try to eat less of the unhealthy fats found in processed foods such as processed meats, ready meals, cakes and biscuits.
· Aim for at least two portions of oily fish per week. (No more than 2 portions if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or likely to become pregnant). Research suggests that omega 3 oils, found in oily fish, may help with depression. Oily fish includes salmon, mackerel, herring, sardines, pilchards and trout. Vegetarian sources of Omega 3 include Omega 3 fortified eggs and milk.
(If you don’t like fish, you could take an omega 3 supplement. Buy a fish body oil supplement and not a fish liver oil supplement. Fish liver oil supplements contain vitamin A, too much vitamin A can build up in the liver to toxic levels).
· Keep well hydrated: Evidence shows that even slight dehydration may affect your mood. As the brain contains up to 78% water, it makes sense to drink plenty. Aim for 6-8 glasses (about 1.5- 2 litres) fluid per day. Caffeine may affect your mood and may lead to withdrawal headaches and to low or irritable mood when the effects wear off. Drinks such as coffee, cola, energy drinks, tea and chocolate all contain caffeine and should be limited.
· Limit your alcohol intake: Drinking too much alcohol can cause dehydration and can lead to B vitamin deficiencies, which may make you feel more depressed or anxious. Try to limit your alcohol intake and have alcohol free days. (No more than two to three drinks on no more than five days per week)
Research is being carried out to look in greater depth at how diet may influence mental health. Studies are exploring how the diet effects on micro-organisms in the gut (gastro- intestinal tract) and the brain’s ability to function. See the section at the end of this blog if you would like more information on mental health and gut health.
The link below takes you to a 3 and a half minute video from the charity Mind, that summarises how food and can affect your mood.
Good nutrition is an important part of your emotional well-being, it is not a substitute for medical care and treatment. If you have concerns about your mental health, please talk to your health care professional.
* Poor mood and low energy levels have been connected to low intakes of these nutrients
Sources of nutrient
Zinc
Meat, shellfish, dairy foods – such as cheese, wholemeal bread, wholegrain cereals.
Iron
Liver (avoid this during pregnancy) , meat, beans, nuts, dried fruit – such as dried apricots, wholegrains – such as brown rice, fortified breakfast cereals, soy bean flour , most dark-green leafy vegetables – such as watercress and curly kale.
B vitamins
Milk, peas, fresh and dried fruit, eggs, wholegrain breads, some fortified breakfast cereals, broccoli, nuts, leafy green vegetables- cabbage/ spinach, meat, salmon and cod.
Magnesium
Green leafy vegetables – such as spinach, nuts, brown rice, bread (especially wholegrain), fish, meat and dairy foods.
Vitamin D
Oily fish – such as salmon, sardines, herring and mackerel, red meat, liver (avoid this during pregnancy) egg yolks, fortified foods – such as most fat spreads and some breakfast cereals.
**The body creates vitamin D from direct sunlight on the skin when outdoors. But between October and early March we don't get enough vitamin D from sunlight.
Omega-3 fatty acids
Salmon, mackerel, herring, sardines, pilchards and trout.
Omega 3 fortified foods- eggs and milk
Mental health and Gut (Gastro- intestinal) health
Research suggests that there is a link between the foods that we eat and the way that we feel. In the gut, in particular in the large intestine, there are types of healthy micro-organisms (bacteria) that breakdown and ferment some of the foods that we eat. These foods are known as prebiotics.
The process of bacteria fermenting foods results in substances being formed that our brain uses to make neurotransmitters - the chemicals that help to control the way that we feel.
Prebiotics is the name given to the types of foods that, when eaten encourage the growth of healthy bacteria in the large intestine. More and more evidence shows that healthy bacteria in the large intestine create by-products that are used by the brain to make neurotransmitters.
Examples of prebiotics: Bananas Nuts Apples Wholegrains Leeks Seeds Onions Beans Garlic Chickpeas Root vegetables (carrots/ parsnip/ beetroot) Lentils Honey Green tea extracts Cocoa extracts (small amounts of dark chocolate) Red wine extracts (small amounts of red wine)
Please remember: Good nutrition is an important part of your emotional well-being, it is not a substitute for medical care and treatment. If you have concerns about your mental health, please talk to your health care professional.
References:
What is the relationship between Food and Mood?
Diet and Depression: Food fact sheet
Vitamins and minerals- NHS website
Food and mood video- Mind
https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/tips-for-everyday-living/food-and-mood/about-food-and-mood/
Diagram of the digestive system
Sources of pre-biotics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awtmTJW9ic8
Comments