Is there something you like to eat that gives you a warm, fuzzy feeling? Most of us have some sort of comfort food that brightens our mood and brings a smile to our face. But what about the opposite effect? Have you ever considered the possibility that certain foods are impacting your mental and emotional health in a negative way?
The Surprising Effects of Comfort Food
Most people enjoy comfort foods when they’re feeling down or stressed out. You might reach for salty snacks like chips when you’re feeling low, or satisfy your sweet tooth with cookies or cake. These types of foods are delicious and instantly gratifying, but there’s a price to pay.
After indulging in these treats, many people find that they feel sluggish, both physically and mentally. If you frequently enjoy high-sugar and high-fat foods, you might experience a decline in your creativity, focus, and mental clarity. The fact is that “dead” foods, which lack essential micronutrients, can have a significant impact not only on your overall health but also on your mood, self-confidence, and passion for life.
How Refined Sugar Affects Your Mind
The harmful effects of refined sugar are well-documented. In his influential book Sugar Blues, William Dufty argues that sugar can cause depression, mood swings, and even personality changes. Despite this, the majority of us still consume copious amounts of refined sugar, which can lead to a range of physical health issues and negative emotional consequences.
Sugar affects children differently but can be just as harmful. Research has shown that refined sugar can cause hyperactivity, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and crankiness in children. For those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), sugar only exacerbates their symptoms. Furthermore, a study in NeuroScience found that refined sugar reduces learning capacity.
Processed foods with artificial colors, preservatives, and other additives have also been linked to mental and emotional health issues in children. Some food additives, like the dyes FD&C Yellow # 5 and FD&C Red #3, have been identified as causing behavioral problems in children. Ultimately, these unnatural chemical additives have a cumulative effect on the body, as it was never designed to handle such substances.
Improving Your Mood and Mental Health Through Diet
When you start focusing on your long-term health and overall well-being, you’ll likely find yourself gravitating towards whole, nutrient-rich foods. Fresh fruits and vegetables, both cooked and raw, can offer many health benefits without the negative effects often associated with processed snack foods.
If you’re eating less than 50% whole, nutrient-dense foods at each meal, you’re missing out on a world of potential mood-enhancing benefits. By increasing your intake of leafy greens, colorful fruits and vegetables, and nuts and seeds, you’ll notice a significant improvement in your mental clarity, focus, and emotional health.
To help you make better food choices, consider using the following nutrient-density scale:
- 100 points: Dark leafy greens (kale, mustard greens, collard greens, Swiss chard, watercress, spinach, arugula)
- 95 points: Other green vegetables (romaine, bok choy, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, broccoli, string beans, snow peas, green beans)
- 50 points: Non-green nutrient-rich vegetables (beets, eggplant, mushrooms, onions, radishes, bean sprouts, red and yellow bell peppers, radicchio, cauliflower, tomatoes)
- 45 points: Fresh fruits (strawberries, blueberries, other berries, plums, oranges, melons, kiwifruit, apples, cherries, pineapple, peaches, pears, grapes)
- 40 points: Beans (lentils, kidney, great northern, adzuki, black, pinto, split peas, edamame, chickpeas)
- 30 points: Raw nuts and seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, flaxseed, almonds, cashews, pistachios, walnuts, pecans)
- 25 points: Colorful starchy vegetables (butternut and other squash, sweet potatoes, corn, turnips)
- 20 points: Whole grains (old-fashioned oats, barley, brown and wild rice, buckwheat, millet, quinoa, bulgur)
- 15 points: Fish, fat-free dairy, eggs, wild meat, and fowl
- 8 points: Full-fat dairy
- 6 points: Red meat, refined grain products
- 3 points: Cheese
- 1 point: Refined oils
- 0 points: Refined sweets (cookies, cakes, candy, soda)
It’s important to be aware of any sneaky sugar effects that might creep into your diet from unexpected sources, including carbohydrates. You don’t need to become a raw foodist — just start paying attention to how much better you feel when you consume whole foods each day. It could make all the difference in your mood, and who knows… it could even improve your relationships.
For more information on nutrient density and making healthier food choices, visit WebMD and Harvard Health.
