Science says: this diet works best against depression
Of course we sometimes give in to our cravings and indeed get those Casa di Mama frozen pizzas, because they are secretly quite tasty. And since we are at it: a tub of vanilla ice cream with a can of whipped cream for dessert. At that moment, your body just craves it and that is completely okay. But all this processed food does have a downside: besides the fact that every pound goes through the mouth, your brain can also struggle with it. For example, it causes you to feel less energetic during the week, sleep worse, and overall be a bit less happy. If you eat almost only processed food and hardly any unprocessed products anymore, there is even a chance that you could develop depressive symptoms. Exactly for this reason, research has been done into which diet makes you the happiest. And yes, I have the answer.
Personally, I think we should applaud ourselves, because it is — drumroll — the Mediterranean diet. This means: lots of vegetables, fruits, legumes, fish, grains, and healthy fats; plenty of choices where you can come up with endless combinations, if you ask me. Notably, the research showed that this diet only reduced the risk of depressive symptoms in women. In men, this was not established, interestingly enough.
The women who had the least trouble with depressive symptoms mainly ate a lot of fish, olive oil, and nuts. Fish is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, which can enhance the effect of antidepressants. Olive oil and nuts contain many healthy, unsaturated fats that have long been praised for their benefits for your mood. No wonder the Mediterranean diet came out on top in the test; both fish and olive oil are of course central to that cuisine.
You hear it: time to eat more fats. Or well, in moderation and preferably keep them unsaturated. However, if you are not very familiar with the world of nutrition and have no idea which foods contain Omega-3 and healthy fats? Below are two lists of foods that you can easily add to your daily meals, and that will make you a happier person.
Foods high in Omega-3:
- Salmon
- Mackerel
- Oysters
- Caviar
- Seaweed
- Flaxseed
- Chia seeds
- Walnuts
- Pumpkin seeds
- Sunflower seeds
Foods high in healthy fats:
- Olive oil
- Olives
- Avocado
- Almonds
- Cashews
- Peanuts
- Macadamia nuts
- Nut butter
Not really your taste? Here’s another list you can browse through. I’ll give you a little hint: chocolate is even on it.
