I can't say that processed food – or the thought of it, gets me depressed It’s sad to see money wasted on sugar, salt and fat-laden foods. But it doesn't put me in a funk.
Then again, I'm not eating much of it.
The first study to look at dietary patterns and depression (British Journal of Psychiatry, November 2009) proved rather interesting. It was one small study based on recall. And a single study obviously has its limitations.
What was so interesting?
People in the study who ate a lot of processed foods were at higher risk for depression than people who ate a more nutritious whole-food based diet.
I always thought that people ate processed food because it tasted good. Shouldn't tasty food make you feel better?
Apparently not.
We're not at all sure why depression was more prevalent among those who ate more processed food. Maybe there's a connection between sugar intake and depression. Or heart disease and depression. Perhaps insulin resistance plays a role.
And how does a whole-food diet protect against depression? Folate (a vitamin found in many fruits, vegetables and legumes) may affect neurotransmitters involved in depression. Fish, a good source of polyunsaturated fats, may reduce depression.
The study's lead author doesn't think it’s just one nutrient. In his opinion, it's the cumulative and synergistic effect of lots of different nutrients.
It's too early to draw conclusions. But what's there to lose?
Which came first? The depression or the food choice? Maybe depressed people look for comfort and convenience and don't have the energy to shop and cook from scratch? Cause? Effect?
ReplyDeleteTrue...but. It's hard to get out of true depression, can take years of medication and therapy, etc., whereas changing one's diet and eating/cooking habits are much easier to implement. So if there's anything to the depression-diet connection, it's worth a try to change your eating habits. Maybe it will help lift the depression somewhat, maybe not - but along the way you'll be benefitting your health.
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