Nutritional Psychiatry: How to Know Which Foods Are Good for Your Brain
It appears that science is finally validating what natural health enthusiasts have known intuitively for decades: Sound nutrition, sound mind.
In an emerging field of science called nutritional psychiatry, medical researchers are discovering what types of diets and exact nutrients are needed to support mental health, as well as help to boost mood, calm anxious thoughts, and reduce the risk of cognitive health issues.
Conversely, research in nutritional psychiatry has revealed how ultra-processed foods (UPCs) eaten habitually in high amounts can be detrimental to gut health, brain function, and mental well-being.
Here’s what you need to know about nutritional psychiatry and how to eat to support your mental health!
What is Nutritional Psychiatry?
In a pivotal 2015 review titled “Nutritional Medicine as Mainstream in Psychiatry,” members of the International Society for Nutritional Psychiatry Research noted the limits of pharmacology and psychotherapy, stating they’ve only achieved modest success in addressing a considerable burden of poor mental health around the world.
Going a step further, they added that poor nutrition is a significant factor in the high incidence and prevalence of suffering mental health, while also acknowledging that determinants in mental health are complex and nuanced.
To underscore its critical role in psychiatric outcomes, they likened diet’s importance to mental health to be as significant as its impact on other areas of health such as heart health, hormonal balance, and digestive health.
Bottom line? When it comes to mental health; diet and nutrition matter.
Nutrition for Mental Health
If the right nutrients and diet are so important for mental health, you may be wondering, what do I need to consume to support my own well-being?
Although more studies are needed, a growing body of research has found strong associations with certain types of foods and various mental health outcomes in observational studies.
Here are some of the key findings, which can serve as a guide for the best foods to consume or avoid:
- Critical Nutrients for Mental Health
Based on epidemiological data, basic science, and clinical evidence, one study found these nutrients to have a clear link to brain and mental health:
- Omega-3s
- B vitamins (particularly folate and B12)
- Vitamin D
- Choline
- Iron
- Zinc
- Magnesium
- S-adenosyl methionine (SAMe)
- Amino acids
- Nutrients for Mood
In another study, the following 12 nutrients were found to be critical for boosting and or protecting against low mood:
- Folate
- Iron
- Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA)
- Magnesium
- Potassium
- Selenium
- Thiamine
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin B6
- Vitamin B12
- Vitamin C
- Zinc
- Mediterranean Diet Eating Pattern
In terms of eating patterns or diet, observational studies indicate consistently eating a Mediterranean diet, and avoiding inflammatory foods, can help protect against low mood.
The Mediterranean diet is recognized as one of the best for longevity too. It includes consuming lots of fresh, colorful vegetables and leafy greens (spinach, kale, arugula, romaine), fresh fruit, beans and legumes, whole grains, and seafood and poultry at least twice a week, and less red meat – as well as health fats in the form of seeds/nuts, and olive and avocado oils. It also includes moderate amounts of low-fat, unsweetened dairy such as Greek yogurt.
Avoiding inflammatory foods means cutting out processed foods made of refined carbohydrates, sugar, corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, fried foods, snack foods, artificial sweeteners and flavors.
- Support Your Gut Health
Did you know that your gastrointestinal tract is lined with about 100 million neurons? It’s true. There’s a strong connection between the brain and the gut. In fact, the gut is sometimes referred to as the “second brain.”
When you have gut problems, you’re more likely to have mental health problems. To ensure your gut stays healthy, it’s important to avoid refined sugars, carbohydrates and processed snack foods. These foods tend to be inflammatory and have little fiber, which can produce a negative impact on your microbiome and gastrointestinal health. Other foods destructive to your gut health include artificial sweeteners, many food additives, and alcohol.
Research has found that people who regularly eat these inflammatory foods in adolescence and adulthood have a higher association with the most common mental health problems like low mood and occasional feelings of anxiousness.
To support your mental health, avoid these foods as much as possible. Instead, choose prebiotic, fiber-rich foods that feed the good bacteria in your gut. Plant-based foods like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and nuts and seeds are your best sources of fiber.
Additionally, eating lots of fermented foods that are rich in probiotics is excellent for gut health. That includes foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, unsweetened low-fat yogurt, kombucha, miso, and more. Probiotic supplements can be beneficial too.
- Avoid Ultra Processed Foods (UPFs)
Avoiding inflammatory foods has already been mentioned for protecting against low mood and helping your gut health. Ultra-processed foods make up most of the inflammatory foods you might consume.
UPFs consist of the majority of packaged foods you find on the cookie, cracker, chip, and freezer aisles of the grocery store, and at fast food restaurants. In fact, a whopping 70% of the packaged foods sold in the U.S. are considered to be UPFs, researchers have found.
Not only are these foods bad for mental health, they can impact your cognition, research has found.
Keep Nutrition in Mind
Although the field of nutritional psychiatry is continually evolving, you now have the facts revealed so far. You can start eating for your mental health at your very next meal!
At BrainMD, we’re dedicated to providing the highest purity nutrients to improve your physical health and overall well-being. For more information about our full list of brain healthy supplements, please visit us at BrainMD.
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