Depression has many causes, and research, such as that conducted by University College London in 2009, is demonstrating that diet is one of them. People whose diet includes large quantities of high-fat processed foods and sweets may be at greater risk for suffering depression. Other research by the University of Navarra supports the notion that a diet rich in fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes may protect against depressive disorders.
The Link Between Depression and Diet
Healthy diets can protect not only against disease but also against depression. Scientific research has shown that people with a poor diet are more vulnerable to depression, according to the Mayo Clinic, whereas eating a junk food diet, high in chocolates, fried food, refined cereals, processed meats, sweet desserts and high-fat dairy products, increases the risk of depression. A Mediterranean diet that includes large quantities of fish, fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts and legumes, while limiting dairy products and meat, has been shown in studies, reported in 2009 in the "Archives of General Psychiatry," to protect against depression.
Fish
Limiting meat in your diet and eating fish instead is a good way to help lower your risk of suffering from depressive moods. The saturated fats found in meat are associated with heart disease and inflammation, which are involved in developing depression, according to researchers at University College London. They suggest eating a diet rich in fish may help protect against depressive feelings because fish contains high levels of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids that contribute to the maintenance of neuron membranes in the brain, responsible for good moods and the experience of pleasure.
Foods Containing Tryptophan
Eating foods that contain tryptophan is a good way to cope with depression, according to the Mayo Clinic. Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that is a precursor to serotonin, the chemical in your brain that helps you relax and improves your moods. The body cannot produce tryptophan so it must be obtained through diet. When tryptophan levels are low or depleted, depressive symptoms occur, according to research by Linda Booij and colleagues, reported in 2005 in "The British Journal of Psychiatry." Foods containing tryptophan include bananas, nuts, peanut butter, sesame seeds, cheese, soy, oats, cottage cheese, milk, turkey and beef.
Antioxidant Fruits and Vegetables
People who eat a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables are less likely to report being depressed, according to the Mayo Clinic. Research by University College London suggests the antioxidants in fruits and vegetables protect, not only against free radicals, but against depression as well. The folate in broccoli, spinach, cabbage, lentils and chickpeas may also similarly protect against depression, according to the same British study. Eating brightly colored fruits, such as cherries, blueberries, oranges and pomegranates, can help you avoid less healthy desserts and sweets in your diet that may contribute to putting you in a bad mood.
References
- Physorg: Processed, High-Fat Foods Linked with Depression
- "Archives of General Psychiatry;" Association of the Mediterranean Dietary Pattern with the Incidence of Depression; Almudena Sánchez-Villegas, et al.; October, 2009
- MayoClinic.com: Depression: Junk Food Blues: Are Depression and Diet Related?
- MayoClinic.com: Coping With Anxiety: Can Diet Make a Difference?
- "The British Journal of Psychiatry"; Acute Tryptophan Depletion as a Model of Depressive Relapse; Linda Booij et al.; August, 2005
