Fighting off mild depression involves positive thinking, of course, however, eating the right foods is just as important. Nutritional deficiencies can make you more vulnerable to mood changes. Certain nutrients, found in healthy foods, may alter brain chemistry as well, which plays a larger role in your mental health. Complex carbohydrates, iron, the B-vitamins, and omega-3 fatty acids are all nutrients which may alleviate mild depressive symptoms.
Complex Carbohydrates
Foods rich in complex carbohydrates, or starchy foods, help elevate mood through their effect on brain chemicals, or neurotransmitters. The nutrients found in complex carbohydrate foods help produce a class of neurotransmitters (chemical messengers within the brain) that influence behavior. One of the most important of these neurotransmitters, serotonin, helps regulate mood, sleep patterns, and appetite. Foods such as whole wheat bread, pasta, potatoes, cereal and brown rice are rich in tryptophan, an amino acid that converts to serotonin in the brain. Other nutrient-rich carbohydrate choices include starchy root vegetables, such as sweet potatoes, corn and carrots.
Iron
Iron might not be the first nutrient that comes to mind in terms of improving mood, but consider the symptoms of mild depression: inability to concentrate or focus and feeling sluggish. These are two symptoms common to iron-deficiency. It is important, therefore, to make sure you are consuming enough of this important mineral (especially for women of childbearing age). Good food sources of iron include lean meat, fortified cereals, prunes and other dried fruits, spinach and broccoli.
B-Vitamins
Folate (vitamin B9) and vitamin B6 are both critical for producing a class of neurotransmitters (chemical messengers within the brain) that influence behavior. An important brain chemical in this class include serotonin (regulates mood and appetite). Eating enough vitamin B6-rich foods, such as fish, poultry, bananas, nuts, potatoes and whole grains helps elevate serotonin, improving mood. Folate deficiency, particularly common among women, can be a contributing factor to depression. Broccoli and spinach are folate-rich foods. They should be consumed raw, however, as cooking destroys folate.
Omega-3 Fats
Cultures in which people consume a great deal of oily fish, such as tuna and salmon, have particularly low rates of depression. Perhaps because they are rich in omega-3 fats, a class of polyunsaturated fats responsible for the proper function and health of both the cardiovascular and nervous systems. Omega-3 fatty acids in fish help trigger the production of serotonin, though the mechanism through which this occurs is still being researched. Other foods high in omega-3 fats include walnuts, flaxseed and canola oil.
References
- Integrative Psychiatry; Nutrients Affecting Brain Composition and Behavior; R.J. Wurtman; Dec 1987
- Neuromolecular Medicine; Dietary Amino Acids and Brain Serotonin Function; Implications for Stress-Related Affective Changes; C.R. Markus; May 2008
- Nutrition for Foodservice and Culinary Professionals, 6th Ed.; K.E. Drummond and L.M. Brefere; 2007
