When we think about the best foods for weight loss, most of us call to mind brightly colored fruits and veggies, whole grains, lean proteins and healthy fats like olive oil. Foods packed with nutrients and fiber that help your body to function at its best, absorb water, and prevent constipation are great for you while supporting a healthy body mass. That said research is increasingly showing that those exact same foods can be fantastic for mental health benefits too!
Foods for Weight Loss and Mental Health
All those foods for weight loss that you just finished imagining are wonderful for making your body feel more comfortable and less bloated. They can also help to reduce cholesterol and regulate blood sugar levels. They act as a natural metabolism booster, provide your immune system with positive support and can help to prevent a slew of diseases.
When we think about foods for weight loss, we often think about preventing heart disease, some cancers, and type 2 diabetes, but we don’t often focus on our mental health. According to new research published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, we might want to change that attitude. Boosting fruit and vegetable intake was connected with lower risks of anxiety and depression. The study involved an analysis of data from more than 65,000 people alongside a measure of their self-reported depression and anxiety symptoms. From there, the fruit and vegetable intakes of the participants were measured.
Following a close analysis, the researchers determined that the people who consumed more colorful fruit also suffered from substantially lower depressive and anxiety symptom risks. On the other hand, eating lots of colorful vegetables were associated with a lower risk of depressive symptoms.
Why Does This Happen?
Researchers have yet to figure out just why this connection exists. Why is it that the best foods for weight loss also help with mental health? Previous research suggests that there is a powerful link between the microbial composition in the gut and mental health. Altered microbial composition is strongly linked with major depressive disorder. This according to The Mind-Gut Connection author, Dr. Emeran Mayer, a UCLA Geffen School of Medicine professor.
A study published in the Cureus journal in 2020 suggests that gastrointestinal tract inflammation can also lead to neuroinflammation, which boosts depression. That said, a Clinics and Practice journal study showed that gut bacteria imbalance and inflammation of the gut both have links to anxiety and depression.
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