About 17 million adults in the U.S. suffer from depression. It is well known that food plays a major role in our physical health, but it can also play a role in our mental health. Ivanhoe reports on which foods can help and hurt your mental health.
About one in five Americans will experience at least one bout of depression at some point in their life.
“There are certain foods that have been shown to be good for brain health and potentially affect mood,” said Tara Collingwood, a registered dietician at Diet Diva.
Such as fish.
“Omega-3 fatty acids that are in fish could help to protect our brain,” Collingwood said.
In fact, a study out of Spain found those who ate a Mediterranean diet filled with fresh fruits and vegetables, protein-rich legumes, and fatty fish and olive oil were 50 percent less likely to develop depression.
Other foods that can boost your mood include walnuts, flaxseed, chia seeds, probiotics such as kombucha and kimchi, also lean protein such as chicken and turkey can help to stabilize blood sugar levels. Some foods to avoid include processed foods, alcohol, and sugar.
“If you do a lot of sugar, you can get a sugar rush and then maybe a sugar crash,” said Collingwood.
A study out of London found men who had 67 or more grams of sugar a day, which is just under two cans of coke, were 23 percent more likely to develop depression over a five-year period.
For coffee lovers, a Harvard study found that two to three cups of coffee a day was a mood booster and was linked to a lower risk of suicide.