The Connection Between Nutrition and Mental Health
Written by Tommy Corcetti
Nutrition, meaning food or nourishment, plays a large role in our day-to-day lives. Nutrition not only has an effect on our physical health, but it seemingly has an effect on our mental health as well. It is well known that eating a high-quality diet generally correlates with high-quality physical health, such as feeling energized and powerful. However, a high-quality diet is also associated with a reduced risk for depressive symptoms (Molendijk et al., 2018, a cited in Stenz & Jansen, 2023). So, keeping a high-quality diet is crucial to maintaining a healthy body and mind. It is not easy, or cheap, to eat high-quality food for every meal, but it is important to keep a balance of high- and low-quality foods in your diet. A high-quality diet consists of foods low in fats and sugars, but high in protein with many fruits and vegetables mixed in. Ultimately, you can have a high-quality diet but also eat meals that aren’t considered high-quality as long as healthy foods are mixed in, it is all about balance.
Other research has found similar results when looking at Canadian immigrants and comparing how ethnicity played a role. It was found that there was no difference between the various ethnicities, stating that the results were similar for both white and minority immigrants (Emerson & Carbert, 2018). Furthermore, it was explained that having a high-quality diet, consisting of fruits and vegetables, was associated with a lower risk of developing anxiety/mood disorder symptoms, stress, and negative thoughts (Emerson & Carbert, 2018). Meaning, nutrition affects everyone similarly, but also has an effect on aspects of mental health other than depression. So, keeping a balanced diet is important for all aspects of mental health including general mood. Although it might be easier, or more convenient, to eat low-quality foods, it is important to find ways to mix in nutritious foods. That could involve creating a scheduled diet, or simply eating healthier foods alongside the less healthy options. Overall, having a nutritious high-quality diet is associated with better mental health, so you must try mixing healthy foods into your everyday diet.
References
Oxford languages and google - english. Oxford Languages. (n.d.). https://languages.oup.com/google-dictionary-en/
Stenz, C. F. H., & Jansen, K. L. (2023). Nutrition and depression: Collaboration between psychologists and dietitians in depression treatment. Translational Issues in Psychological Science. https://doi-org.proxy-tu.researchport.umd.edu/10.1037/tps0000357
Emerson, S. D., & Carbert, N. S. (2019). An apple a day: Protective associations between nutrition and the mental health of immigrants in Canada. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology: The International Journal for Research in Social and Genetic Epidemiology and Mental Health Services, 54(5), 567–578. https://doi-org.proxy-tu.researchport.umd.edu/10.1007/s00127-018-1616-9
