anxiety | Color My Food

Are you looking for natural ways to improve your mood and support mental wellness?

Did you know that what you eat plays a significant role in your emotional well-being? Nutrient-dense, whole foods can help stabilize mood, reduce feelings of anxiety, and support a balanced, healthy mind. By focusing on nourishing foods, you provide your brain and body with the building blocks they need to thrive.

“Nutrition is the most important missing link to mental health in society today,” – Leslie Korn, Nutrition Essentials for Mental Health

By incorporating specific nutrient-rich foods into your diet, you can boost brain health and alleviate symptoms of mood disorders.

“There are a variety of food categories that can aid in your quest for a healthier brain –and remission from depression and anxiety symptoms. Foods from these groups contain the important nutrients you need to feed the good bugs in your gut, reduce inflammation, and put your brain into grow mode – all which can help with depression and anxiety.” – Drew Ramsey, Eat to Beat Depression and Anxiety,

Here are some of the most brain-boosting food groups to consider:

Leafy Greens and Cruciferous Vegetables

Leafy vegetables are some of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet. Spinach, kale, arugula, watercress, beet greens, collards, and Swiss chard are all excellent choices. Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage are also powerful additions to support brain health.

Rainbow Fruits and Veggies

The vibrant colors in fruits and vegetables indicate different families of phytochemicals, which have protective and healing properties. Red/purple fruits, such as berries, are especially nourishing for the brain. They have potent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and DNA-enhancing properties that help support cognitive health.

“Carotenoids found in fruits and vegetables, particularly dark leafy greens and red-spectrum produce, are anti-inflammatory and improve cognitive health.” – Leslie Korn, Nutrition Essentials for Mental Health

Colorful produce

Quality-sourced Protein

Protein is a critical building block for brain function. These protein-rich foods are packed with nutrients that are essential for mental well-being:

Pastured Eggs: High in nutrients needed for brain cell regeneration and linked to reduced anxiety symptoms.
Fish and Seafood: Omega-3-rich foods like anchovies, sardines, oysters, mussels, salmon, and cod are nutrient-dense choices that support brain health.
Sustainably Raised Meat: Bison, grass-fed beef, lamb, turkey and chicken are loaded with amino acids, B vitamins, and essential minerals like iron, selenium, and zinc.

Essential Fats for Cognitive Function

Healthy fats are vital for brain function. Omega-3 fatty acids found in foods like avocados, coconut, olives, nuts, and grass-fed butter are essential for cognitive health. These fats also help your body absorb critical vitamins and minerals.

Fermented Foods for Support Gut-Brain Health

Gut health plays a crucial role in mental health. Fermented foods such as kefir, yogurt, miso, sourdough, sauerkraut, kombucha, and kimchi provide beneficial bacteria that support both your gut and brain.

Nuts, Beans and Seeds

Nuts, seeds, and beans are rich in plant-based proteins, healthy fats, fiber, and essential minerals like zinc and iron. These foods provide slow-burning carbs that support long-lasting energy for your brain.Think of nuts and seeds as a condiment; add to overnight oats, salads, grain bowls, curry, and meatloaf.

What to Do?

Choose foods in these categories that you enjoy eating. Experiment and gradually add in those you’re not familiar with. Try new ways of eating foods you may think you don’t like. Here are a couple of ways to are just a few fun ways to add in more of these foods on a regular basis.

Pay attention to what you eat. Keep a food journal for a week and jot down the foods from each category that you every day. How many colors did you get? How many plant foods? Quality protein? This about progress, not perfection. Wherever you are is ok, just build up one food, one day at a time.

Incorporating nutrient-dense whole foods into your daily routine is a powerful way to support your brain, mood, and overall health. By feeding your brain the nutrients it needs to thrive, you’ll be taking essential steps toward managing mood disorders and boosting cognitive function.

References

Ramsey, Drew (2021). Eat to beat depression and anxiety. New York, NY: HarperWave.

Korn, Leslie (2016). Nutrition essentials for mental health. New York, NY: W.W. Norton and Company.

Learn more:

Mood Food: Nutrition for Your Brain – GBC Nutrition

20 Foods to Naturally Increase Your Brain Power – Mind Body Green

Eat to Beat Depression and Anxiety – Drew Ramsey MD

Updated – original posted August 2021

The foods you eat impact the structure and health of your brain. It is the most complex organ in your body — home to tens of billions of neurons and cells. It uses 20-percent of everything you eat. Give it plenty of good fuel to maintain concentration throughout the day.
Your brain also requires certain nutrients to stay healthy. When it doesn’t get enough of these essential nutrients, your cognitive function, mood and overall brain health will suffer. Nutritional deficiencies such as vitamin B12, B9 and zinc, can cause symptoms of depression and dementia — low mood, fatigue, cognitive decline, and irritability.

A food lifestyle rich in brain food can help you

reduce the risk of depression and anxiety
improve mental fitness and brain health
reduce risks of Alzheimer’s and cognitive decline.

A quick look at these brain essential nutrients and their benefits.

Brain Essential Nutrient	Benefit
Folate (Vitamin B9)	Helps create new cells
Iron	Builds hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that transports oxygen from your lungs to your brain.
Omega-3 fatty acids	Builds and repair brain cells
Magnesium	Helps regulate several important neurotransmitters, including those that facilitate mood
Potassium	Needed for every electric impulse that travels along a neuron
Selenium	Helps create powerful antioxidant in your brain and is necessary for proper functioning of the thyroid gland which is involved in regulating mood, energy, and anxiety
Thiamin (Vitamin B1)	Fundamental to your brain health because of its role in energy production
Vitamin A	It is linked to neuroplasticity – your brain’s ability to grow and adapt in response to the environment
Vitamin B6	Plays a pivotal role in brain development and function
Vitamin B12	Vital for production of mood-regulating brain chemicals serotonin and dopamine; helps, transmit signals more efficiently and effectively across brain cells
Vitamin C	antioxidant that can counteract damage caused by free radicals in your brain cells
Zinc	helps to regulate your brain signaling and neuroplasticity

Bottom line: You can choose the building materials you provide your brain

What to do?

Always aim to first get your nutrients from whole foods from nature. The power is in the synergy, they way the work together with other nutrients in food, rather than supplements only. Mix and match from your favorite foods in these brain nutrient-rich food categories.