Foods That Can Cause Depression

Few people know that there is a connection between nutrition and mental health too. Most of us just think that a good diet is necessary to maintain a healthy body physically but diet also has a very crucial impact on our mental health. All our cells, tissues, molecules, etc. are made from what we eat. Whoever said that “we become what we eat” was absolutely right. For example, dietary fats are the building blocks of our brain tissues.

Some foods can result in triggering or worsening depression, a healthy and nourishing diet is therefore, the best strategy against depression. Diet is such an important component of mental health that there is an entire field of medicine dedicated to it called Nutritional Psychiatry. Recent researches have established a link between diet and the risk of depression. One analysis states that a diet high in fruits, vegetables, whole grain, fish, olive oil, low-fat dairy and antioxidants and low in animal foods was associated with a decreased risk of depression.

The connection between diet and mental health forms a vicious cycle. The more depressed you are the more likely you are to eat unhealthy foods and the more unhealthy food you eat the more likely you are to get depressed.

A recent study has shown that a group of people with moderate to severe depression improved their mood and signs of depression by eating a more healthy diet. The study was the first to prove that diet alone could reduce depression symptoms. The diet encouraged eating whole foods while discouraging things such as refined foods, sweets, and fried food.

Keeping all this in mind let’s see what are some of the foods that need to stay away from your plate if you or someone you know is suffering from depression.

1. Gluten

Gluten is a glue-like protein that is found in wheat. Some other grains such as barley, rye, and contaminated oatmeal contain a protein similar to gluten. Gluten and similar proteins are categorised as the most inflammatory foods. A diet containing inflammatory foods is known to increase the risk of depression.

Many people think that only those sensitive to gluten need to avoid it. However, whether or not you have been diagnosed with gluten sensitivity, it is not a great option as it is known to cause inflammation by irritating the gut and gut microbes as well as intestinal tissues. Gluten causes gut cells to produce a compound called zonulin, leading to a leaky gut. Gluten due to its sticky nature is also known to affect digestion.

Gluten consumption has been linked to depression, seizures, headaches, anxiety, nerve damage, and ADHD-like symptoms. (1, 2)

Also Read: Why Is It Difficult For Women To Lose Weight?

2. Trans Fat

Trans fats are unsaturated fats that usually don’t occur in whole foods. Trans fats are widely known to increase the risk of heart diseases. They are generally found in deep-fried and processed foods. Nowadays, you can find the amount of trans fat present per serving on the nutritional label found on packaged items.

Trans fat is not just unhealthy for your heart but for your brain too. A study that evaluated the association between fatty acid intake and depression in a Mediterranean population found trans fatty acid intake increases the risk of depression. Consuming trans fats can increase the risk of depression by as much as 48 percent, according to a study published in PLoS One.

3. Processed and Hydrogenated Oils

Vegetable oils such as safflower oil, sunflower oil, soybean oil, etc. available commercially are highly processed. Several high-heat and high-pressure techniques are used along with many chemical solvents to create them. Processed vegetable oils have been linked to many health concerns such as thyroid dysfunction, cardiovascular diseases, nutritional deficiencies, cancer, and psychiatric disorders like depression. (3, 4, 5, 6)

Hydrogenated oils are also equally harmful to your brain. Most commercially available deep-fried items are prepared in partially hydrogenated oil. Hydrogenation is a process that turns vegetable oil into a more solid form, which increases its shelf-life. These oils can clog arteries and prevent blood flow to the brain. Highly processed or refined oils are very high in omega-6 fatty acids. Too much omega-6 in the diet can cause an imbalance in the body that may promote inflammation in the brain and induce depression symptoms.

Also Read: Sleep Deprivation: How to Know You Are Sleep Deprived And What To Do?

4. Sugar and Artificial Sweeteners

Our bodies were not designed to tolerate the sudden hikes in blood sugar and insulin that can be caused by some foods we eat now that are high in sugar such as soda, cold drinks, and other junk foods.

Eating too much sugar whether in the obvious form (such as soda) or not so obvious form (such as pasta) makes our blood sugar rise quickly and causes a spike in insulin. When insulin reduces blood sugar, you then have a blood sugar crash, and cortisol compensates by providing sugar out of storage since our body and brain needs sugar to work. This process is often called reactive hypoglycaemia and is responsible for carb and sugar cravings. Continuing to eat high sugar products overtime leads to anxiety, headaches, irritability, and ultimately depression.

Sugar screws up our whole body. It creates brain inflammation by spiking insulin, it derails hormones by increasing stress hormone cortisol and disrupts the balance of sex hormones. A 2015 study of postmenopausal women demonstrated that an increase in added sugars in their diet was associated with an increased likelihood of depression.

The obvious solution to this is to reduce your sugar consumption. Some people even opt for artificial sweeteners. Let me tell you there are plenty of options available out in the market but not every sweetener is as good as it seems. Artificial sugars, like aspartame and sucralose are ‘zero calories’ but even they can cause metabolic syndromes like insulin resistance and diabetes. (7)

5. Dairy

Well, this food is not something that you should immediately rule out from your diet. While dairy is not a bad food overall, some people might experience certain side-effects from it. Milk contains a protein called casein which has been linked to several psychiatric conditions, ranging from schizophrenia to depression.

But that does not make it a bad food for everyone. If you’re suffering from symptoms of depression or anxiety eliminate dairy for 30 days and see how you feel. You can also replace dairy products with grass-fed ghee, which is an excellent healthy fat and great for your brain health.

6. Refined Carbs

Just like sugar, refined carbs are known to spike insulin levels. They are high-calorie foods with few nutrients in them. They also lead to a sugar crash and can cause mood swings. One study of women with no history of depression, substance abuse, or other forms of mental illness found that eating refined carbohydrates spiked blood sugar levels and increased the risk of depression.

However, whole foods and grains are a great source of healthy carbs and the same study also found that a diet rich in whole grains lowers the risk of depression.

Also Read: Top 10 Quick Pocket-Friendly Healthy Snacks

7. Fast Food

The link between fast and depression has been proven time and again. According to a recent study headed by scientists from the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and the University of Granada, eating commercial baked goods (fairy cakes, croissants, doughnuts, etc.) and fast food (hamburgers, hotdogs, and pizza) is linked to depression.

The study Published in the Public Health Nutrition journal says that people who eat fast food, compared to those who eat little or none are 51% more likely to develop depression. Even eating small quantities is linked to a significantly higher chance of developing depression.

8. GMO and Non-Organic Foods

Genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) are foods heavily treated with pesticides and herbicides. The chemicals used are actually meant to kill pests but are highly toxic to even human and microbial cells.

And these chemicals build up inside the body over time. Alarmingly, these chemicals are also found in foetuses and breast milk. These toxic chemicals disrupt our microbiome and alter the production of essential amino acids like tryptophan, absorption of minerals, and detoxification in the liver.

Even non-GMO foods can be contaminated with pesticides. Eating organic food is the best way out.

Also Read: Top 12 Benefits Of Cooking Your Meals At Home

Include These In Your Diet

Now since you know what are the foods that can worsen your condition, the first step you need to take is to remove them from your diet. Occasional intake won’t have much effect on your health but regular intake even in small quantities is harmful.

Next step would be to switch to healthier options. The following foods are known to improve mental health:

• Antioxidant-rich foods: Include foods rich in beta-carotene such as apricots, broccoli, carrots, peaches, pumpkin, spinach, sweet potato; foods rich in vitamin C such as blueberries, broccoli, grapefruit, kiwi, oranges, peppers, potatoes, strawberries, tomato; and vitamin E rich foods such as nuts and seeds, unprocessed vegetable oils, wheat germ.

• Healthy Carbs: Fruits, vegetables, and legumes have healthy carbs and fiber.

• Protein Rich Food: Good sources of healthy proteins include beans and peas, lean beef, low-fat cheese, fish, milk, poultry, soy products, and yogurt.

• Selenium-rich foods: Beans and legumes, lean meat, nuts and seeds, seafood, and whole grains.

• Omega-3 fatty acids: Fatty fish, flaxseed, canola and soybean oils, nuts (especially walnuts), dark green, leafy vegetables, etc.

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