“You are what you eat” is probably one of the most oft-repeated phrases in the English language but it’s also one of the most accurate — even in terms of mental health.

This is according to a study, which found that poor diets are a risk factor for depression while healthy diets such as the Mediterranean Diet can actually address issues related to its development.

For instance, one study conducted by researchers from several Australian institutions found that people who ate more healthy fare such as vegetables, fruit, nuts, whole grains and legumes — the hallmarks of the Mediterranean Diet — over the course of three months registered lower depression scores, as well as higher mental health and quality of life scores compared to those who did not undergo any changes in their diet.

This is similar to the findings of another group, which found that a Mediterranean diet helped reduce the signs of depression in young adults.

Want to adopt a healthier diet? Here are some foods that you should be eating more of:

• Healthy carbohydrates in the form of whole grains and legumes.
• Fresh, whole organic fruits and vegetables
• Wild-caught fatty fish in place of red meat.
• Healthy fats, like raw organic nuts and olive oil.

These foods, as noted by medical and food experts, have been linked to the following health benefits:

Whole grains can help stabilize the mood

Many studies have shown the whole grains can help reduce mood swings, anxiety, and depression.

This is because whole grains are naturally rich in tryptophan, an amino acid that your body needs to produce serotonin — also known as the body’s very own “Happy Hormone” — and melatonin.

Aside from that, whole grains also work to maintain steady blood sugar, which keeps you feeling satiated for much longer while also stabilizing your mood — thus preventing that pesky “hangry” feeling from ever surfacing.

Organic fruits and veg contain powerful antioxidants

Mood disorders such as depression and anxiety, experts have said, happen when the body enters a lowered total antioxidant state. At this point, the body becomes extremely vulnerable to free radicals which, unfortunately, can damage cells in the brain, and cause an onslaught of symptoms related to depression and anxiety.

To avoid this, you can simply eat fresh fruit and veg — all of which are packed to the brim with antioxidants that can counter the negative effects of free radicals on the body.

Wild-caught fatty fish contain Omega-3 fatty acids

Feeling just a bit more blue than usual? Grab a plate of fresh, wild-caught salmon sashimi.

This is because fatty fish such as salmon is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are known to play an important role in brain function.

Furthermore, it has been suggested that people with depression may have low blood levels of brain chemicals called eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) — chemicals that can be found in fatty fish.

What this means is that eating fatty fish a few times a week may provide your body with these healthy oils and help keep your mood stable.

Some of the fish you can get that are high in omega-3s are sardines, herring, trout and canned albacore tuna.

Healthy fats from nuts and olive oil can help maintain optimal brain health

Most nuts are rich sources of B vitamins and the essential mineral magnesium, as well as the mood-uplifting amino acid tryptophan. This essentially makes nuts a power-packed depression-busting punch.

As noted by experts, B vitamins have the ability to help convert tryptophan into serotonin, thus ensuring a steady supply of the Happy Hormone. In addition, nuts also contain magnesium, which plays an important role in regulating brain function, such as those related to cognition, mood and intellectual development.

In addition, studies have also shown that healthy oils such as extra-virgin olive oil can help combat the effects of depression in individuals.

This is likely a result of olive oil’s high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, which can help minimize instances of inflammation in the brain. Inflammation, according to experts, can cause the brain and its mood centers to go haywire, resulting in depression and other mood disorders.

Thinking of adding these foods into your diet? Here is a Mediterranean-inspired dish from Well Plated that you can try:

Mediterranean-style Baked Salmon

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds, wild-caught salmon fillet
• 5 sprigs, fresh rosemary
• 2 small lemons
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons organic camelina oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4 cloves garlic peeled and roughly chopped
• Additional chopped fresh, organic basil, thyme, parsley and dill

Preparation:

1. Remove the salmon from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes. You can start preparing the other ingredients at this point.
2. While the salmon is resting, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
3. While waiting for the oven to come to temperature, line a large baking dish with a large piece of aluminum foil. Lightly coat the foil with camelina oil, then arrange some of the rosemary sprigs down the middle. Cut one of the lemons into thin slices and arrange half the slices down the middle with the rosemary.
4. Place the salmon on top of the lemon bed and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle the top with the salt and pepper and then gently rub to coat.
5. Scatter the garlic cloves over the top and lay the remaining rosemary and lemon slices on the salmon. Squeeze the juice out from the second lemon, and then pour on top of the fish.
6. Fold the sides of the aluminum foil up and over the top of the salmon until it is completely enclosed. Make sure to leave a little room inside the foil for air to circulate.
7. Bake the salmon for 20 minutes, or until the salmon is almost completely cooked through at the thickest part.
8. At this point, remove the salmon from the oven and carefully open the foil so that the top of the fish is completely exposed. Change the oven setting to broil, and then return the fish to the oven.
9. Broil the salmon for 3 minutes, or until the top of the salmon and the garlic take on a slightly golden sheen and the fish is cooked all the way through.
10. Watch the salmon closely as it cooks in order to avoid burning.
11. Once cooked, remove the salmon from the oven and cut it into portions for serving. Sprinkle the salmon with additional fresh herbs and top it off with an extra squeeze of lemon as desired.

While depression and anxiety are very serious conditions that need to be addressed in order for affected individuals to regain a semblance of normality and functionality, they do not necessarily entail immediate dependence on drugs. As recent studies have shown, sometimes, all it takes is a shift in your diet to experience a more stable mood as well as improvements in your mental health.

Sources:

ScienceDirect.com

TAndFOnline.com

Journals.PLOS.org

NutritionData.Self.com

PubChem.NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov

IntechOpen.com

StJohns.Health

Healio.com

NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov 1

NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov 2

NutraCeuticals.IMEDPub.com