So what if someone told you that the foods you eat might cause depression? Would it make you think twice about what you put on your plate? If it were me it would!
In a recent study scientists looked at how different foods affected our mood and discovered that people who ate more whole foods like fruits, veggies, whole grains and fish were less like to experience symptoms of depression. Folks who ate a diet high in processed foods, however, (including sugary snack foods and refined white sugar products) were more likely to be depressed.
Coincidence? I don’t think so! The differences were even seen when other factors like smoking and too little exercise (both of which can increase depression) were taken into account. So how exactly does food affect our mood?
Well, scientists hypothesize that the high folate levels in certain vegetables and legumes might play a role, and Omega-3 fatty acids in fish have also been shown to help reduce depression. What’s more, the high antioxidant content of fruits and veggies may also be responsible for the decrease in depression symptoms, along with the combination of important nutrients that’s found in a whole-food diet.
So next time you want to down a pint of ice cream to squash the blues, you might want to think twice!