Highlights
- There is a strong link between diet and depression, and understanding nutrition is essential for patients with major depressive disorder.
- Foods that can help depression (in order of their Antidepressant Food Score (AFS) ranking) are vegetables, fruits, seafood, legumes, meats, grains, nuts and seeds, and dairy.
- Eating a Mediterranean diet, which focuses on most of these food groups, is associated with lower risks of depression.
You’ve been feeling sad and physically, mentally, and emotionally flat for months; you suspect that you might have major depressive disorder (MDD), and you’re trying to work out the next steps. However, you’ve heard you might be able to decrease depressive symptoms naturally with diet.
And you are correct. What we eat matters for every aspect of our health, including our mental health; in fact, this has inspired an entire branch of medicine known as
Link Between Diet and Depression
Good mental health relies on tiptop brain health, which in turn requires balanced nutrition.
Think of it like this: flour, butter, eggs, salt, and baking soda are needed to bake a good cake. In the same way, complex carbohydrates, protein and amino acids, antioxidants, selenium, vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, water, vitamin Bs, and zinc are essential in the ‘brain health recipe’.
In the cake recipe, if you leave out or skimp on ingredients, say you swap butter for oil, or forget the eggs, your cake still bakes, but it comes out flat, hard, or dry. In the same way, a poor diet starves the brain of its essential ‘recipe’ items, and instead of a light, fluffy mood, it flops; the result may be low energy, foggy thinking, and depressive symptoms.
But this can be reversed and improved by trying again with the correct ingredients; a study showed that adding a healthy diet for three months to the treatment of patients with depression improved their moods.
If you’re experiencing suicidal or self-harming thoughts and require immediate assistance, contact a crisis hotline, such as 911, 988 suicide & crisis lifeline (toll-free), or Samaritans (116-123 or via chat).
Essential Nutrients for Brain and Mood
Next, we’ll look at each brain-and-mood-health ingredient and their role in the ‘recipe’ more closely.
Protein and Amino Acids
Protein boosts logical thinking, decision-making, and memory, and is a vital part of your diet.
Protein, a macronutrient, provides
- Enzymes that trigger chemical reactions in the brain.
- Hormones.
One of these essential amino acids is
Complex Carbohydrates
Back to basics: carbohydrates are a type of macronutrient made up of sugars that provide the brain with energy. Importantly,
Carbohydrates can be simple or complex. A complex carbohydrate has a complicated
Therefore, by eating complex carbohydrates, the brain has a steady supply of energy, allowing thinking and memory to improve; also, the brain ages better. When function and coping is at peak, depression risk may be lower.
Nutrient Antioxidants
Selenium
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are essential for brain health; they work by:
- Directly affecting nerve structure
- Enhancing neurotransmitter release
- Protecting against cell damage
Also,
Water
About 70% of your body weight is water, and most of that is in the cells. It makes sense that you need to replenish this water for the body and the brain to work at peak. One study using MRI images shows that dehydration negatively impacts brain structure, and that both gray and white matter improve after consuming water.
Vitamin Bs
B vitamins play a vital role in nerve and brain health. The easiest way to understand this is to look at the
Zinc
Vitamin D
Vitamin D deficiency can cause depression, poor memory, and insomnia.
Interestingly,
- Has an
anti-inflammatory[12] effect, improving functioning. - Keeps serotonin, dopamine, and noradrenaline levels
topped up[13] , lifting mood.
It’s called the sunshine vitamin for a reason; sun-exposed skin usually provides 90% of the body’s vitamin D needs, and, unfortunately, there are
Why Should You Feed Your Bowel Bacteria?
If your gut flora is out of balance, it can lead to depression and mental illness.
Bowel bugs do talk to your brain in a few ways:
- Along nerves
- Via hormones: they produce noradrenaline, serotonin, dopamine
- Through the immune system
This is called the brain-gut-microbiome axis, and it only functions well if your bowel bacteria are healthy, so include food they love in your diet:
- Prebiotics: Your gut microbiome loves feeding on prebiotic whole, fiber-rich plant-based foods containing
fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS), galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS)[15] , andinulin[16] . - Probiotics: You can also top up your good bowel bacteria with living organisms called probiotics, which are usually in fermented foods or probiotic supplements.
Natural Antidepressants: What Foods Help With Depression and Anxiety?
The following table lists good sources for each of these essential nutrients.
Key Nutrients for a Healthy Brain and Good Mood: Food Sources
|
Nutrient |
Food Sources |
|
Complex Carbohydrates |
Whole grains (oats, brown rice, quinoa), legumes (lentils, beans), starchy vegetables (sweet potatoes, corn) |
|
Protein and Amino Acids |
|
|
|
|
|
High tryptophan: turkey, chicken, |
|
|
Antioxidants |
|
|
|
Brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, mushrooms, fish, seafood, beef, poultry, eggs, whole grains |
|
Omega-3 Fatty Acids |
Fatty fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel), chia seeds, flaxseeds, walnuts |
|
Water |
Plain water, herbal teas, water-rich fruits (watermelon, cucumber, oranges) |
|
Vitamin Bs |
Whole grains, leafy greens, eggs, dairy, poultry, legumes |
|
Oysters, pumpkin seeds, beef, chickpeas, cashews |
|
|
Vitamin D |
Fatty fish (salmon, mackerel), fortified dairy or plant milks, egg yolks, |
|
Prebiotics |
|
|
Probiotics |
Yogurt with live cultures, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, miso |
Other
Weight Management as an Antidepressant Strategy
This could be viewed as a chicken-or-egg situation, but also a vicious cycle.
On one hand, obesity increases the risk of depression and anxiety because of inflammation, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes risk, and high blood pressure; all of these are bad for your brain.
On the other hand, a poor diet consisting of excess saturated fat, processed foods, and sugar, paired with little physical activity, might affect brain function as well as lead to:
- Gut inflammation that disrupts the gut-brain axis
- Brain inflammation
All of which can dip mood, motivation, and emotion.
In addition, people with severe depression may neglect their diets, causing the cycle to start.
This motivates the need not only for dietary improvement for weight management, but also for a list of ingredients or foods for depression to form part of the treatment.
10 Best Foods to Eat for Depression
Next, you’re probably wondering what to eat when you’re depressed. You need to understand that these foods are not a quick fix; you should always consult a healthcare professional if you are feeling sad and hopeless for more than two weeks.
With the help of the
1. Antioxidant- and vitamin-rich Vegetables
Vegetables are good foods for depression, with
- Leafy greens: spinach, lettuce, and kale
- Fresh herbs: cilantro, basil, and parsley
- Cruciferous: cauliflower, broccoli, and brussel sprouts
- Yellow, red, and orange: peppers, red cabbage, pumpkin, and butternut squash
2. Oysters, Clams, and Mussels
This might not please many people, but oyster, clams and mussels are
3. Fish
The more commonly consumed higher-ranking ones, according to the AFS, are tuna, rainbow trout, salmon, and herring, but most fatty fish are good sources of all nine essential amino acids, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, and selenium.
4. Fruit
Fruits like strawberries, papaya, and lemons are an essential element of a healthy and nutrient-rich diet and have a high AFS; they are rich in vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidants.
5. Legumes
Beans, lentils, chickpeas, and soy products made it into the AFS ranking; they are full of the good stuff: protein, specific essential amino acids, B vitamins, complex carbohydrates, and fiber.
6. Poultry
Poultry, including chicken,
7. Whole Grains
These made the AFS list because they contain complex carbohydrates, fiber, some essential amino acids, vitamin Bs, and selenium.
8. Nuts
Nuts are a good source of fiber and healthy fats. Certain nuts are also high in tryptophan, selenium, and zinc, which may help with brain function and reduce your risk of depression.
9. Seeds
Flaxseed and chia seeds are high in Omega-3. In addition, certain seeds are high in zinc and selenium. A lack of these minerals, which are essential for brain function, has been linked to higher rates of depression.
10. Caffeine
Yes, you read correctly, coffee consumption may be good for you. A study showed that
Tips to Make This Easier
Get a Mediterranean Cookbook
The Mediterranean diet, rich in fish, vegetables, olive oil, legumes, and nuts, is an easy way to eat antidepressant foods.
Eat Mood-friendly Snacks
Keep nuts, seeds, and fruit on hand instead of reaching for crisps and sweets.
Go Whole and Balanced
Try to combine in each meal:
- Chicken, turkey, or fish
- Two vegetables, one green and one yellow, red, or orange
- A complex carb
For example, grilled salmon with quinoa and roasted vegetables drizzled with olive oil.
Choose Energy-Steady Carbs
Swap ready-made breakfast cereals, and white bread and pasta for wholewheat options, oats, brown rice, or barley.
Alternative Omegas
If fish isn’t for you, try walnuts, chia seeds, or flaxseeds for omega-3s.
Keep Your Brain Hydrated
Make it a habit to drink a glass of water or a cup of herbal tea:
- When you wake
- Before each meal
- Mid-morning with a snack
- Mid-afternoon with a snack
Are There Foods to Avoid in Depression?
This discussion wouldn’t be complete if we didn’t tell you what to avoid if you have depression.
- Alcohol consumption, in particular, heavy drinking, is associated with a higher risk of depression.
- Although it’s tasty and saves time, junk food, sugary drinks, processed meats, and food high in saturated fat
increase depression risk[22] ; avoid or limit them!
Summing It Up
Although lifestyle changes, such as increasing physical activity and eating a balanced diet rich in antidepressant foods, should be the base of your approach to feeling better, these are usually not enough for treating depression; medications and psychotherapy are vital in most cases.
If you are looking for online mental health care, contact MEDvidi. Sign up to have an appointment in 24 hours and see a healthcare provider experienced in diagnosing and treating depression online.
Frequently Asked Questions
What foods make you feel happy?
There are no foods that will instantly make you feel happy; however, you can optimize your diet to contain foods rich in nutrients that support your brain and lower depression risk.
