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How Should I Eat to Help My Depression?

Brittany King

May 31, 2020

Communications in Dietetics

Consumer Paper
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Is there a Diet for my Depression?

The Problem

Depression is a very common mental disorder. Symptoms include sadness, angry

outbursts, a loss of interest in things you once enjoyed, and insomnia, to name a few. These

symptoms may harm your work, family, and social life. Depression affects about 264 million

people and counting worldwide. With these staggering statistics you may be wondering if there

is a way to help prevent depression. Or maybe you are one of the many warriors battling

depression daily and are wondering how you can treat these debilitating symptoms. Treating

disease naturally with diet and lifestyle changes are trendy. People aren’t wanting to add

another pill to their daily routine. Many magazine articles, news segments, and blogs have

promoted certain types of food and diets for treating depression. Is it true? Can you prevent

and treat depression just by eating the right kinds of food?

What you Eat Can Worsen Depression

There appears to be some association between the foods that you choose to eat and

your mental health. Researchers gathered multiple studies and determined that a Westernized

diet, thought to be high in refined grains, processed meat, red meat, and high-fat dairy, was

associated with increased risk of depression. 1 On the other hand, people who had a diet high in

fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fish were found to be at a lower risk. 1 The foods consumed

in a Western style diet, such as fried foods and hamburgers, have been linked to inflammation

and could be the reason for the increased depression risk. Inflammation is the body’s response

to injury and illness. A short-term inflammatory response aids the body in recovery, but
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constant inflammation can lead to mental health disorders like depression. Healthy fats found

in fish and nuts as well as antioxidants, found in colorful fruits and vegetables, may be the

reason that depression risk decreased for people who had diets that contain these foods.

Healthy fats have anti-inflammatory properties and antioxidants decrease damage to cells

within the body and as a result, has an anti-inflammatory effect.

Happy Gut, Happy Brain

A bunch of exciting new research has shown that there is a definite connection between

your brain and your gut. Research has

shown that when a person’s gut isn’t

working as it should due to

constipation, irritable bowels, and

other digestive issues, the gut can

change that person’s emotions

through communication with the

Gut-Brain Axis. FODMAP Everyday. https://www.fodmapeveryday.com/the-gut-brain-connection-ibs-its-
not-all-in-your-head/. Published August 2, 2019. Accessed April 26, 2020.
brain. Researchers are suggesting

that this could be the cause of some mental disorders such as depression and anxiety. The type

of bacteria that lives within your gut contributes to your gut health. There are “good” and

“bad” bacteria. More “good” bacteria are ideal and allows the gut to do its best work. It is

commonly believed that eating foods that contain probiotics (“good” bacteria), such as yogurt

and sauerkraut, is a good way of making sure one’s gut is healthy. However, a study that asked

if probiotic intake improves depression, found that probiotics only appeared to decrease

prevalence of depression when characteristics such as ethnicity and income were not
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considered. What these researchers did find was a connection between high fiber diets and a

decrease in depression.2 This could be because some fiber in our diets act as a prebiotic. A

prebiotic is basically food for the “good” bacteria within our guts. The logic is that if you provide

food for the “good” bacteria already present in the gut, then the good bacteria will thrive and

there won’t be any room for bad bacteria to move in and cause problems.

Mediterranean Diet: Not Only Good for the Heart

The Mediterranean diet’s claim to fame is

usually its positive impacts on the heart but

appears to be effective at improving mental

health as well. The Mediterranean diet

consists of whole grains, plenty of fruits and

Pennsylvania Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
https://eatrightpa.org/members/blog/embracing-the-mediterranean-diet/. Published
vegetables, fish, nuts, seeds, and legumes.
May 22, 2019. Accessed April 26, 2020.

The diet uses spices for flavoring rather than

salt and sugar, and plenty of olive oil is used during cooking. One study that included people

with moderate to severe depression, compared two groups, a group that received professional

dietary guidance on how to eat a Mediterranean diet, and a group that attended appointments

that provided social support but received no guidance on their diet. 3 The study concluded that

the people in the dietary guidance group had less symptoms of depression than the group that

did not receive diet advice.3 Nevertheless, there is evidence that a stressful lifestyle can cancel

out healthy eating patterns, such as choosing avocado toast on whole-wheat bread over French

fries for a snack, and can increase inflammation within the body that can lead to other diseases

including mental health disorders like depression. 4

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The Verdict

An eating pattern that looks like the Mediterranean diet seems to be the best option at

treating and preventing depression. The Mediterranean diet includes plenty of fruits,

vegetables, whole-grains, legumes, and healthy fats. It is mainly plant-based with moderate

amounts of dairy and animal protein. The animal proteins consumed within this diet consist of

mainly fish and lean meats such as chicken. Red meat and refined grains, which are found in

white bread, desserts, and white rice, are consumed in a limited quantity. Whole grains can be

found in oatmeal, brown rice, and whole wheat bread. You don’t have to consume fish in order

to increase your intake of healthy fats. Healthy fats are also found in nuts, avocados, and olive

oil.

Summary

There is evidence that shows a person’s diet has the potential to impact depression

symptoms. What you eat can impact your depression risk. A Western style diet is linked to an

increased depression risk.1 Gut bacteria is an important factor when it comes to mental health,

but maintaining a healthy gut is more complicated than ingesting probiotics. 2 Diets that contain

probiotics have not been shown to have a large effect on depression risk, but a diet rich in

prebiotics (the food for the “good” bacteria) is one way to help maintain a healthy gut. 2 A

healthful diet that consists of a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, and nuts appears

to be the best way to decrease depression symptoms. This way of eating is like the

Mediterranean diet and is a way to increase prebiotic, antioxidant, and healthy fats into your

diet to minimize inflammation and make sure your gut and brain are happy. But remember,
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that a stressful lifestyle can outweigh the benefits of healthy eating habits, so it is important to

keep those stress levels in check in order to improve your mental health.
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References

1. Li, Y., Lv, M., Wei, Y., et al. Dietary patterns and depression risk: A meta-analysis., Psychiatry Res.
2017 April 11; 253: 373-382.

2. Soledad Cepeda, M., Kats, E.G., Blacketer, C. Microbiome-Gut-Brain Axis: Probiotics and their
Association with Depression., J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2016 August 19; 29 (1): 39-44.

3. Jacka, F. N., O’Neil, A., Opie, R., et al. A randomized controlled trial of dietary improvement for
adults with major depression (the ‘SMILES’ trial)., BMC Med. 2017 January 30; 15 (23).

4. Keicolt-Glaser, J. K., Fagundes, C. P., Andridge, R., et al. Depression, daily stressors, and
inflammatory responses to high-fat meals: when stress overrides healthier food choices. Mol
Psychiarty. 2017 July 13; 22 (3): 476-482.