Does this sound familiar?

After a long day at work you find yourself sitting on the couch, mindlessly digging into your favorite bag of chips and watching your favorite show on Netflix. And before you know it – the bag is empty. This scenario is a perfect example of how food and mood are sometimes linked. You may know it better as “stress eating.”

A Harvard School of Medicine report took a deep dive into different studies showing the effects of how diet can play a role in mental health. “There is consistent evidence for a Mediterranean-style dietary pattern and lower risk of depression,” the report says. This includes eating foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats and good fats.

Often referred to as our “second brain,” your gastrointestinal tract is home to billions of bacteria that influence the production of neurotransmitters. These are chemical substances that constantly carry messages from the gut to the brain. (Dopamine and serotonin are two common examples.)

Eating healthy food promotes the growth of “good” bacteria, which in turn positively affects neurotransmitter production. Things like added sugar and processed foods can cloud that production which can negatively affect our mood.

Nutrients important to a healthy body and mood include:

• Zinc — nuts, mushrooms, meat, vegetables
• Iron — almonds, spinach, kale, walnuts, chickpeas
• B-Vitamins — eggs, fish, nuts/almonds, fruits/veggies
• Magnesium — dark chocolate, avocados, legumes, seeds
• Vitamin D — fish, eggs, dairy (milk, cheese), tofu
• Omega-3 fatty acids — salmon, tuna, almonds, olives, spinach

“But I Crave Chips!”

Even if you maintain a healthy diet, such as the Mediterranean diet, it’s normal to desire high calorie, unhealthy treats, especially when we feel depressed or anxious. This makes sense because your body wants to fuel up for fight-or-flight mode when times get tough.

The Harvard article says, “A cheat meal every now and then can be okay, but if you use food to battle the blues, you’re going to lose the war.”

If we continue consuming foods high in fats and sugar, our bodies will adapt to that new normal. Then, when you try to cut those foods out it can throw off your system and further increase anxiety and depression. And this traps you in a cycle of bad eating to try to find comfort or maintain happiness.

Eating healthier foods will support a healthier mind, not to mention body. Moderation and mindfulness are two key things to remember about maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle. It’s okay to indulge every once in a while, but remember that what we eat affects us from head to toe.

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