Traditionally, medication and different types of psychotherapy – or a combination of the two – have been the standard approach in addressing mental health issues, be they related to behaviors, cognition, compulsions, or emotions. However, in recent years, the conversation on mental health has expanded, bringing into discussion a very important yet often overlooked aspect that seems to play a key role in supporting mental wellness and emotional balance: nutrition. 

We’ve long known that the foods we eat have a direct and profound impact on our physical health. There’s ample evidence demonstrating that dietary choices can increase or decrease the risk of certain health conditions like coronary heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and even cancer. Well, this correlation also seems to apply to mental health, as we’ve now got an increasing body of scientific research indicating that food feeds our souls just as much as our bodies, having the ability to influence our feelings, thoughts, and actions, which makes perfect sense considering physical and mental health are deeply interconnected. 

These studies pertain to nutritional psychology, a relatively new but fast-growing discipline that examines the intersection of nutrition, brain function, and mental well-being and uses foods and nutrients to provide an alternate or complementary route to treating psychological disorders. The latest discoveries in this area reveal a stronger association between food and mental health, showing how different conditions could be worsened, improved, or prevented through diet. 

New findings linking nutrition to mental health 

Depression and anxiety are two of the most prevalent mental health disorders worldwide, affecting an estimated 5% of the global population, and while the causes for both conditions are multifactorial, diet appears to have a big say in it. According to a study published in The British Medical Journal in 2024, people whose diets consist primarily of ultra-processed foods and are low in essential nutrients are 48% more likely to suffer from anxiety and have a 22% increased risk of depression. 

More recently, a collection of 13 studies (six cross-sectional, four case-control, two randomized clinical trials, and one longitudinal cohort) published in Nutrition Reviews in February 2025 showed that adherence to a Mediterranean diet could lower the incidence and reduce the severity of depression, anxiety, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) among children and teenagers. 

Similarly, a study conducted on 7,434 adult participants led researchers to the conclusion that individuals with increased intake of food groups such as legumes, other vegetables, fruits, yogurt, poultry, fish and seafood, fluid milk, and fruit juice experienced lower levels of psychological stress. 

Although the evidence is already here, people often don’t realize the critical role that dietary patterns play in reducing or raising the risk of mental illness. The fact that the majority of mental health providers don’t receive any training in this regard only adds to the problem, leaving patients to connect the dots on their own. 

The pathway from plate to psyche 

You’d think that food that tastes good should also make you feel good, and it might do that momentarily, but scientists explain that’s not how the gut-brain connection works, unfortunately. The link between diet and mental health is complex and not yet fully understood, with multiple mechanisms at play. 

One of the ways in which nutrition can influence mental processes is by reducing or amplifying inflammation in the body, including the brain. There are foods and ingredients that cause inflammation, such as refined carbohydrates, processed meats, fired products, etc., and foods that fight inflammation, such as leafy greens, olive oil, berries, and so on. Many experts argue that most brain diseases are caused by brain inflammation, which manifests through cognitive problems like depression, anxiety, ADD, etc.  

There are also foods high in tryptophan, an essential amino acid that can boost the body’s dopamine and serotonin production naturally and, therefore, contribute to better mood.   

However, much of the impact that diets have on the human brain and psyche boils down to the gut-brain axis (GBA). This refers to the bi-directional communication network between the gastrointestinal tract (GI tract) and the central nervous system (CNS). The gut microbiota is responsible for producing around 90% of the body’s total serotonin, so any change in the gut’s health is bound to impact neurological functions and lead to mental health changes. 

Not a cure-all 

There’s a lot of potential in experimenting with diets to alleviate certain mental health conditions. However, scientists point out that one must acknowledge the limitations of this approach. Food alone cannot heal people of their psychological woes, so it should not be used to substitute conventional medical practices like therapy and medication but rather to complement them. 

More often than not, people struggling with mental health issues need specialized and comprehensive treatment plans to overcome these challenges and manage their illnesses effectively. For this reason, mental health providers such as Taylor Counseling Group in Fort Worth advocate for accessible, affordable, and reliable mental health care services that can deliver much-needed support to individuals of all ages and in all communities. 

It’s, therefore, necessary to look at the bigger picture when considering the potential psychological benefits of food. The consensus among experts is that the best course of action is to aim for a strategy that integrates traditional methods with dietary regimens to achieve a holistic approach to mental health and improve outcomes. 

The foods that can make a difference 

All the studies mentioned above strongly indicate that good mental health starts in the gut. But what should people eat to keep their brain healthy and their mood up? While nutritional needs vary from one person to the next, and there’s no such thing as a diet that can keep mental health issues at bay, certain foods may provide you with considerable benefits in this respect. These include:

• Fatty fish and seafood
• Fermented foods
• Dark chocolate
• Bananas
• Oats
• Berries
• Nuts and seeds
• Beans and legumes

Until we get more answers from the scientific community on how nutrition affects cognitive functions and emotional well-being, you might as well start paying more attention to what you put on your plate and try to include more mood-boosting ingredients into your daily diet.