How Food and Mood Are Connected
Food is so much more than weight. Your food and mood are connected, and what you eat influences not only your mood but also your energy, focus, and even your motivation. It even affects your inflammation and blood sugar levels. Most of us know that food affects our mood. We all have comfort foods that stir nostalgia or incite good feelings by bringing pleasure to the palate. However, these feel-good foods may not be helping you feel good, or they may make you feel slightly sad. Your gut and brain are connected, and what you eat matters, and it influences how your gut responds.
The Gut-Brain Connection
The gut and brain communicate constantly via the gut-brain axis. The gut-brain axis is the communication network between your digestive system and your brain. The gut microbiome also plays a role in the production and regulation of neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine. These neurotransmitters influence mood, motivation, sleep, and emotional balance. Stress, processed foods, poor sleep, and microbiome imbalance can disrupt this communication. When the microbiome becomes out of balance, inflammation sets in, and mood changes kick in.
How Blood Sugar Affects Mood and Energy
Junk foods, aka processed foods, such as high-fat chips and processed snack cakes, are loaded with sugar, salt, and chemicals that extend their shelf life. And while these foods might taste great, they often have almost no nutrients and a ton of calories. This also impacts your blood sugar, causing highs and lows as well as cravings.
A diet comprised of these processed and high-sugar foods is likely to lead to weight gain and nutritional deficiencies, problems that in turn lead to depression and mood changes. Science proves that when our bodies are deprived of vital nutrients, we experience heightened feelings of anxiety, lethargy, and irritability, says Drew Ramsey, MD. These ill feelings cause some people to overeat on the very same foods that lead to their initial misery, leading to a cycle that is difficult to break.
Metabolic Health and Mood After 40
As we age and our digestion slows down with the production of stomach acid and enzymes, the impact of our food and mood can have a greater effect. Since the food we eat affects blood sugar and inflammation, as well as our mood, it is also linked to metabolic syndrome and hormonal changes.
Processed Foods and Inflammation
What we eat feeds the gut microbiome, and maintaining a balance is crucial for our health. Eating a diet high in ultra-processed foods and sugar feeds the less beneficial gut bacteria, creating an imbalance. This imbalance leads to inflammation and robs our body of essential nutrients.
Nutrients That Support Brain Health
In addition to consuming an array of feel-good foods, taking supplements to help keep you feeling energized and balanced may be needed. The following are some examples:
- Omega-3s help with inflammation, and EPA targets and supports mood-boosting pathways.
- Magnesium supports neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine.
- B vitamins help manage stress and stabilize mood.
- Vitamin D influences mood.
- Protein helps stabilize blood sugar and provides amino acids needed to build neurotransmitters.
Foods That Support Mood and Energy Naturally
Reaching for the right foods is the key to improving your mood and energy levels when you’ve had a tough day or need to recharge your batteries. The following are some foods that are chock full of nutrients to feed your brain and fuel your life.
Dark Chocolate: Just a few ounces of dark chocolate can help boost your mood. By increasing the blood flow to your brain, this cocoa treat improves concentration and has a highly therapeutic effect. Additionally, dark chocolate contains potent antioxidants that help lower blood pressure and lessen your risk of heart disease.
Berries are super nutritious and full of antioxidants, helping to reduce inflammation and stress hormones like cortisol, as well as improving your mood.
Leafy greens are loaded with magnesium and antioxidants, which help with the mood-regulating neurotransmitters and lower inflammation.
Fermented Foods support a healthy microbiome with beneficial bacteria, nourishing the gut-brain axis.
Healthy Fats protect your brain cells and help regulate mood and emotions. Healthy fats include salmon, walnuts, chia seeds, flax seeds, avocados, extra virgin olive oil, and eggs.
Milk: contains a chemical known as tryptophan, which helps boost feel-good hormones in the brain. Because milk is high in protein, it digests slowly and makes you feel fuller, longer—a good thing for the dieter. Other valuable nutrients, including vitamin D and calcium, make milk a smart snack. Stick to skim or low-fat whenever possible.
Healthy Habits That Support Mental Wellness
It’s not only what we eat, but our habits that also contribute to our mood and our gut health, helping to keep the microbiome balanced. The quality of our sleep, our exercise patterns, how well we manage stress, hydration, social connection, and the time we spend outdoors. Focus on creating these habits so they become part of your day.
Small Changes Matter
Doing everything at once only feeds stress. Creating a healthier lifestyle that balances gut health and mental wellness requires time and consistency. Long-term wellness isn’t built overnight; it’s built with small daily habits. If you are interested in creating a strong foundation, check out my book, The Healthy Habits Challenge.
For more on natural approaches to depression, read our article on Natural Treatments for Depression. To learn more about habits that support brain chemistry, read How to Create a Happy Brain.
FAQ Section
Can food affect mood?
Yes – Food does affect your mood through the gut-brain axis. What you eat contributes to the health of your microbiome.
What foods support brain health?
Berries, leafy greens, healthy fats, lean proteins, whole grains, and nuts and seeds support overall brain health.
Does sugar affect mood?
Yes – Excess sugar feeds harmful gut bacteria, disrupts microbiome balance, drives inflammation, and causes blood sugar spikes and crashes that directly affect neurotransmitter production and mood.
What is the gut-brain connection?
The gut-brain connection is how the nervous system in our digestive tract communicates with the central nervous system via the vagus nerve, creating a two-way communication highway known as the gut-brain axis. Both the enteric nervous system and the microbiome are involved in regulating neurotransmitters.
Can gut health affect mental wellness?
Yes, through the gut-brain axis. The gut communicates with the brain and is responsible for producing neurotransmitters that directly impact our mood and emotional balance.
What nutrients support brain health?
Several nutrients support brain health as well as gut health. Omega-3s, Vitamin D, B Complex, Magnesium, and eating lean proteins support brain health.
Please note: This article is for educational purposes only. Depression is a serious condition that often requires professional support. If you are experiencing significant depressive symptoms, please reach out to a qualified healthcare provider. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available by calling or texting 988.
