The link between food and mental health is a controversial topic, but a necessary discussion.

People are giving it more attention now. Researchers are publishing an increasing number of studies everyday to understand the link between food and mental health. Key questions define these studies. Can a poor diet cause your mental health to deteriorate? Does it worsen mental health disorders? Should you switch your diet to reduce the symptoms of anxiety and depression? And, most importantly what kind of diet will improve mental health? 

Benefits of Healthy Food for Mental Health

We referred to multiple studies to write about the link between food and mental health. One particular study discussed a lady who had been suffering from extremely poor mental health for most of her life. On a friend’s suggestion, she altered her diet. She reduced the amount of processed foods, and increased the nutritional value of her meals. Within a week, she noticed a difference – her mental health was stronger, her skin was glowing, and she felt like herself again. Perhaps, this does not imply a direct causation between food and mental health, but certainly a correlation. And, if the effects on your mental health are positive, what’s the harm?

Healthy Food, Healthy Mind

Upon further study, we found that people that have poor mental health generally partake in poor diets. These diets are low in nutritional content and rich in processed sugars and simple carbohydrates. On the other hand, food that seems to improve mental health are those that are cleaner and healthier. These include organic fruits and vegetables, clean protein sources, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates.

Improve Your Mental Health

To conclude, if you have been trying to improve your mental health through traditional methods such as therapy, a useful tip would be to tweak your diet and include more healthy food.