According to recent study, a Mediterranean diet is linked to less instances of stress and mental discomfort.
On the other hand, foods high in sugar and high glycemic index, which are staples of the Western diet, were positively correlated with negative emotions.
Numerous advantages, such as enhanced heart and brain health, have been connected to the Mediterranean diet, which is regarded as one of the healthiest on the planet.
If you’ve read anything about diets on the internet, you’ve probably come across the Mediterranean diet, which is high in whole grains, veggies, and heart-healthy fats like fish. Improvements in blood sugar, heart health, and cognitive function are just a few of its numerous advantagesTrusted Source.
Researchers studying nutritional neuroscience—a branch of neurochemistry that studies nutrition—have now discovered that the Mediterranean diet may also help with stress management and mood enhancement. Conversely, it seems that the Western dietTrusted Source, which is strong in red meat, highly processed foods, and high-glycemic index foods, exacerbates the negative emotions linked to stress.
Nutrition and Health, a publication, published the findings.
Senior Author of the study Lina Begdache, PhD, RDN, Associate Professor of Nutritional Neuroscientist, Registered Dietitian, and Healthline commentator: “We filled a vacuum in the literature by examining the influence of diet quality on [the] perception of stress.”
According to our findings, the Mediterranean diet both raised and decreased emotions of eustress, or happy stress. Conversely, the Western diet increased distress and decreased the experience of good stress, according to her.
According to Cleveland Clinic dietitian Kristin Kirkpatrick, MS, RD, co-author of Regenerative Health, who was not involved in the study, “this research is aligned with others looking at a Mediterranean dietary pattern and its association with depression and anxiety,” as reported by Healthline.
1591 individuals in the study provided information about their diet and mood in response to a series of surveys and questionnaires. 1,117 individuals, or more than 70% of the total, were female. A small percentage of the 1,412 participants were 30 years of age or older, although the majority were in the 18–29 age range.
Researchers investigated how food affects people’s feelings using the food-mood questionnaire (FMQ), a validated instrument that Begdache created.
Additionally, they employed the Kessler Scale, a widely used tool for assessing distress, which asks participants to rate how frequently they experience certain emotions, such as “nervous,” “hopeless,” and “worthless.” Survey participants are asked to rate how often they feel different emotions, such as having the ability to “control irritations” or whether things were “going your way,” on the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), which has been in use since 1983.
Begdache and her colleagues then connected the ways in which certain elements of the Western and Mediterranean diets influenced these emotions.
An inverse correlation was found between almost all of the negative emotions on the Kessler Scale and dark leafy greens, which are an essential part of the Mediterranean diet. Fast eating and sugary (high-glycemic index) foods are examples of Western diet components that are positively connected with these negative emotions.
Furthermore, a large number of the same elements that were positively linked to pleasant feelings were also negatively linked to bad feelings. For instance, eating complete grains, nuts, oats, green vegetables, and exercising were all associated with emotions such as being “able to control irritations” and “confident to handle problems.”
Begdache stated, “This implies that these foods not only enhanced the positive outlook regarding stress but also decreased the negative perception of stress.”
There were benefits to the Western diet as well.
Generally speaking, there were favorable correlations with positive emotions like confidence and negative correlations with unpleasant sensations like tension and mental discomfort with white meat, eggs, and even red meat.
How your mood can be affected by food
By examining the chemistry and neuroscience of how particular meals affect mood, nutritional neuroscience elevates nutrition science to a new level. This involves a number of intricate biochemical routes and systems, especially the gut-brain axis.The gut and the brain are directly linked, according to a reliable source.
Diet and gut health have a direct impact on inflammation, hormones, and neurotransmitters, all of which have an impact on mood.
For example, the majority of the “feel-good” hormone and neurotransmitter serotonin, which aids in mood regulation, is produced in the stomach.
Keep in mind that your stomach produces 95% of the serotonin Trusted Source in your body. According to Eva Selhub, MD, a mind-body health specialist and author, the microbiota in the stomach is what helps you metabolize and have that serotonin available, she told Healthline.
Begdache notes, “Since serotonin levels become unstable, blood sugar fluctuations are the primary source of mental anguish and the stress response. As a result, when blood sugar levels drop, hunger control is lost.
Cortisol, which is elevated under stress, has been linked to inflammation and weight gain.
Begdache stated that “a prolonged cortisol release may be encouraged by a possible nutrient shortage or unbalanced diet (when following a Western diet) in order to create a new normal state based on the current dietary circumstances.”
How to begin adopting a Mediterranean diet
“Lean protein, an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables, and moderation in alcohol consumption are the main components of a Mediterranean diet. As a lean protein source that is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, it can also include fresh fish. All of these are anti-inflammatory; we know that the gut-brain axis contributes to the beneficial effects of an anti-inflammatory diet,” stated Alyssa Kwan, MS, RD, a clinical dietitian in cardiology at Stanford Medicine who was not involved in the study.
It may seem overwhelming to begin a Mediterranean diet, but it doesn’t have to. Little adjustments are the first step, and they should increase rather than decrease mealtime happiness.
Selhub suggests following the “80-20 rule,” which essentially states that you should consume nutrient-dense foods (such as those found in the Mediterranean diet) 80% of the time and save 20% of your diet for less nutrient-dense options.
Instead of thinking about cutting something out of your diet or declaring, “I can’t have that,” consider what you can include. Consider including colorful foods on your plate, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, as well as lean meats, whole grains, and fatty fish, Selhub said.
Start with your favorite Mediterranean-style meals and cut back on highly processed and high-calorie items. To start, replace nutrient-void snacks with whole grain bread or a piece of fruit or healthy fats instead of white bread, Kirkpatrick said.
Conclusion:
According to recent research, elements of a Western diet like fast food and sugary foods were positively associated with negative feelings and stress, while elements of a Mediterranean diet like vegetables, whole grains, and nuts were negatively associated with these conditions.
Most people agree that one of the healthiest diets in the world is the Mediterranean diet. It has a lot of veggies, lean protein, and good fats (such those found in nuts and fish).
Not every component of the Western diet was linked to anxiety and depression: foods like eggs, white meat, and even red meat improved mood.
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