The proverbial “You are what you eat” as established by thinkers mainly states that what we eat has a bearing on the state of our mind and health. Today, an emerging field called nutritional psychiatry highlights the relationship between diet and mental wellness [1]. What this means for us is that we should begin focusing on how our food intake makes us feel – not just the spurious kind (like satisfying your craving for ice cream, potato chips or cake) but on a regular basis (like taking a “clean” diet or removing processed foods for two to three weeks, and then going back to the old diet) and observing closely how we feel. Expect that you will feel good both physically and emotionally when you “go clean” and conversely, feel bad when you revert to your old eating habits [2].
In the words of the president of the International Society for Nutritional Psychiatry Research Dr. Jacka, “Mental health is complex. Eating a salad is not going to cure depression. But there’s a lot you can do to lift your mood and improve your mental health, and it can be as simple as increasing your intake of plants and healthy foods.” [1]
To support brain health, the author of Eat to Beat Depression and Anxiety Dr. Drew Ramsey, came up with the phrase “Seafood, greens, nuts and beans — and a little dark chocolate” so people easily remember what food they should eat.
Below are some foods you can incorporate into your diet to improve your food quality (and remember to observe how you feel!) [3] [4].
- Leafy greens. Inexpensive, nutritious and the foundation of a brain health diet. These include kale, spinach, arugula, collards, beet greens which are also sources of fiber, folate and vitamins C and A. Seaweed on a weekly basis will give you iodine, fiber, zinc and phytonutrients.
- Colorful fruits and vegetables. Red peppers, blueberries, broccoli and eggplant are some of the brightly colored foods that affect inflammation, memory, sleep, and mood. Reddish-purplish foods are notably “power players” and avocados provide healthy fats that improve the absorption of phytonutrients.
- Seafood. These are sardines, oysters, mussels, wild salmon and cod which give us long-chain omega-3 fatty acids that are essential for brain health and are good sources of vitamin B12, selenium, iron, zinc and protein. Chia seeds, flax seeds and sea vegetables are sources of omega-3s if you’re not into eating fish. Canned salmon is also cited as an affordable option.
- Nuts, beans and seeds. In a day, between half and a full cup of beans, nuts and seeds are recommended. These are cashews, almonds, walnuts and pumpkin seeds that may be eaten as a snack or added to stir fry dishes and salads. For variations, you can also add black and red beans, lentils and legumes to your soups and stews. Walnuts are notably high in alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) which is a type of omega-3 fatty acid.
- Spices and herbs. They enhance the taste of our food and they are key to balancing gut microbes, reducing inflammation and improving our memory, too. Notable is turmeric whose active ingredient curcumin is known to benefit our attention and overall cognition. Try adding turmeric to your marinades, sauces, dressings, stews or even your smoothies. Black pepper increases by 2,000 percent the bio-availability of curcumin in our brain and body. Other spices you should add in your “brain healthy” kitchen are cinnamon, rosemary, sage, saffron and ginger.
- Fermented foods. Six servings of fermented foods are recommended to lower inflammation and enhance gut microbiome diversity. These include yogurt, sauerkraut, kefir, kombucha, kimchi, miso, cottage cheese, some types of apple cider vinegar, and bottles of fermented beverages which are available in many grocery stores.
- Dark chocolate. A large survey found that eating dark chocolate reduces by 70% the risk of depression symptoms. Although milk chocolate also has the same effect, dark chocolate has flavonols like epicatechin which processed foods like milk chocolate lack.
- Fatty fish. Eat fish low in mercury like salmon, cod and pollack at least twice a week. They are abundant in omega-3s and are linked to producing lower blood levels of beta-amyloids which form damaging clumps in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s.
- Berries. Consumption of two or more servings of strawberries and blueberries weekly can delay memory decline by up to two-and-a-half years, according to a Harvard and Brigham study. They are rich in flavonoids or natural plant pigments giving berries their brilliant hues and help improve memory.
References:
1. “How Food Affects Mental Health” The New York Times, accessed October 3, 2022, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/06/well/eat/mental-health-food.html.
2. Eva Selhub MD, “Nutritional psychiatry: Your brain on food” Harvard Health Blog, September 18, 2022, accessed October 3, 2022, https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/nutritional-psychiatry-your-brain-on-food-201511168626.
3. “The Best Brain Foods You’re Not Eating” The New York Times, accessed October 3, 2022, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/24/well/eat/brain-food.html.
4. “Foods linked to better brainpower” Harvard Health Blog, March 6, 2021, accessed October 3, 2022, https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/foods-linked-to-better-brainpower.