The 20th century has seen some shifts in dietary intakes globally, with an increase in the consumption of sugars, snack foods and take-away foods. Don't get me wrong, these foods can be GREAT at times, but there is no doubt that they can leave us feeling sluggish. But what if these foods go beyond just making us feel sluggish, and are impacting our mood and mental well being? As a massive foodie, this is exactly what I've been looking into recently and the findings have been very interesting!
Whilst our diets are unlikely to be a direct cause of mental health, what we eat affects how we feel and diet can be a contributing factor to both the experience and severity. We're all familiar with the term 'hangry', myself in particular, which occurs when our blood sugar levels drop and our body needs food. As soon as that first bite hits our mouth we feel like a new person.
It seems that, on the whole, we sometimes pay more attention to how the foods we consume impact our bodies rather than our brain - I’ve certainly been guilty of this in the past. Our brain is always on, taking care of our thoughts, movements, breathing. Even when our bodies are all rested up getting some shut eye, our brain is still hard at work, so it's important to fuel it in the right way.
Now I’m not a nutritionist myself, so wanted to pick the brains of an expert. Someone very close to my heart - my Auntie Caroline. Caroline has just about as much energy as any human being I have ever met and is truly inspirational. She also happens to have just graduated with an MSc in Human Nutrition, so is the perfect guest to my latest post.
So, Caroline, what made you decide to get into Nutritional Science?
I’ve always loved food, from baking at home to food tech at school. I’ve loved how creative you can be with flavours and colours; almost like an art. I was extremely lucky to work in a 1 Michelin star restaurant for my work experience - although I learnt so much and absolutely loved the buzz of it along with the creativity in menu planning, I realised it was a job I didn’t want to make a career.
My relationship with food then took a little turn for the worse during my A –levels when my father was extremely ill and I developed an eating disorder. Again, I was lucky that this was treated early on, and despite the recovery being extremely tough, I began to realise just how important food is for you.
I travelled the world, experiencing so many cultures and different foods. I then ended up in New Zealand and worked for lululemon. I got into my fitness, and the importance of food as a fuel became so obvious to me during my time running, practising yoga and taking part in crossfit.
My early love for food had come back! This time, however, I was so interested in what food can do to your body and mind - it really can be a medicine or poison. I knew I wanted to study this so came back to London to obtain my MSc in Human Nutrition last year.
My relationship with food then took a little turn for the worse during my A –levels when my father was extremely ill and I developed an eating disorder. Again, I was lucky that this was treated early on, and despite the recovery being extremely tough, I began to realise just how important food is for you.
I travelled the world, experiencing so many cultures and different foods. I then ended up in New Zealand and worked for lululemon. I got into my fitness, and the importance of food as a fuel became so obvious to me during my time running, practising yoga and taking part in crossfit.
My early love for food had come back! This time, however, I was so interested in what food can do to your body and mind - it really can be a medicine or poison. I knew I wanted to study this so came back to London to obtain my MSc in Human Nutrition last year.
How important do you think the role of food is on our mental health?
The foods we eat can have a huge impact on how we feel mentally.
If we do not fuel ourselves properly, our blood sugar drops and we feel tired, sluggish and irritable. Similarly, when we eat something high in simple carbohydrates e.g. sweets, chocolate, cake and even high sugar fruits, we get a spike in glucose which gives us a burst of energy but then a sharp crash.
The gut can also affect how we feel emotionally. Anxiety and stress may slow down or speed up the gut so it is important to take in enough fibre to maintain a healthy digestion. Your brain needs fatty acids (such as omega-3 and -6) to keep it working well. So rather than avoiding all fats, it’s important to eat the right ones. Protein is also extremely important as it contains acids that make up the chemicals your brain needs to regulate your thoughts and feelings.
The foods we eat can have a huge impact on how we feel mentally.
If we do not fuel ourselves properly, our blood sugar drops and we feel tired, sluggish and irritable. Similarly, when we eat something high in simple carbohydrates e.g. sweets, chocolate, cake and even high sugar fruits, we get a spike in glucose which gives us a burst of energy but then a sharp crash.
The gut can also affect how we feel emotionally. Anxiety and stress may slow down or speed up the gut so it is important to take in enough fibre to maintain a healthy digestion. Your brain needs fatty acids (such as omega-3 and -6) to keep it working well. So rather than avoiding all fats, it’s important to eat the right ones. Protein is also extremely important as it contains acids that make up the chemicals your brain needs to regulate your thoughts and feelings.
What are your thoughts on ‘dieting’ and the impact that restricting certain foods has?
I hate the word diet. Mainly because it has too many conflicting definitions. A diet for me is something you habitually eat. It should be maintainable, sociable and balanced and should make you feel good! There is so much confusion around the word now that something as basic as eating has evolved to almost mean the opposite.
For many, going on a diet can mean starving themselves in order to look a certain way. Starving has detrimental effects on both your body and mental health and comparing yourself with others and trying to look or be a certain way has equally damaging effects.
What food types would you recommend for anxiety and low moods?
Lots!
Selenium
Foods rich in Selenium help improve mood by reducing inflammation which is often heightened in people with anxiety. Brazil nuts, mushrooms and soybeans are excellent sources.
Omega-3
Omega-3-rich foods are linked with improved cognition and mood. Fatty fish e.g. salmon, mackerel, sardines, trout and herring are great sources, or if fish isn’t for you, flax and chia seeds are great sources and can be added to oats, smoothies, salads etc.
Vitamin D
A recent report in the Journal of Affective Disorders suggest that there is now enough evidence to prove that Vitamin D positively helps depression. Egg yolks and mushrooms are great sources.
Potassium
Potassium helps manage blood pressure, which is closely linked to stress. Foods such as pumpkin seeds and bananas are great for reducing stress and anxiety.
Zinc
Pumpkin seeds are also a great source of Zinc. A recent study showed that among 100 female college students, those that were deficient in zinc had a significantly lower mood. Zinc is essential for brain and nerve development, and the largest stores in the body are found in regions of the brain responsible for emotions.
Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate and red grapes are great for reducing inflammation and improving blood flow. Chocolate is also high in tryptophan which the body uses to turn into serotonin (the chemical in our body that contributes to wellbeing and happiness). When gorging yourself, be sure to stick to 70% and above to ensure you are obtaining the most out of it, anything less is full of sugar and fat so will not provide the benefits needed to impact mood.
Tumeric
Lastly and possibly my favourite is tumeric. One I love so much, I’ve developed my own blend called Liquid Gold (included in the recipe at the end of this post). The active ingredient in tumeric is curucumin, which can help lower anxiety by reducing inflammation and stress - two areas that often increase when people experience anxiety and depression. Tumeric is easy to add to meals and has minimal flavour, so goes brilliantly in smoothies, oats, curries and casserole dishes.
Are there any particular bloggers/podcasts/recipe sites you recommend?
An interesting one! I have actually stopped following ‘influencers’ on social media as it made me feel like I wasn’t doing well enough, didn’t look my best and wasn’t as successful as I could be.
My main source is experimenting myself to come up with different recipes and ideas that benefit not just us as humans, but also the planet. This is exactly what spurred me on to create my own brand, Mawish.
And what a bloomin’ great brand it is!
Thank you to Caroline for her honest answers. It’s certainly interesting to learn more about the impact of nutrition on mental health. I am absolutely not saying that a good burger or pizza is a big no, I enjoy these just as much as the next person, but I find great comfort in knowing that there are foods out there that can help with anxiety and low moods. It really is about balance, and ensuring that whilst we have treat meals, we’re also filling our bodies with nutritious wholesome foods that are satisfying to both us and nourishing to our bodies.
To finish, below is one of my favourites recipes from Caroline that I hope can set you off to a great day:
Golden Carrot Cake Porridge
Ingredients:
1 grated carrot
1 grates apple
1/2 grated courgette (optional)
1 tsp turmeric / Liquid Gold if you have it
1-4 dates depending on how sweet you like it
1 tbsp chia seeds
1tbsp flax seed
40g oats
almond milk/rice milk/water or combination
Berries and pomegranates (or whatever you fancy to top it, nut butters are equally as delicious!)
Method:
- Begin by grating the fruit and veg into a saucepan.
- Add everything else to the pan and top with enough milk/water to just cover.
- Bring to the boil and then simmer, stirring until the carrots and apple soften and everything thickens - you may need to add a little more liquid as the oats cook.
- Serve and enjoy warm for two or eat half and have the rest as a cold, bircher style muesli the next morning!
For more recipe ideas, visit Caroline’s website - mawishfood.com
Or to get in touch with Caroline directly with any questions email - team@mawishfood.com
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