Depression: Foods That Boost Mood And Energy In 2024

Although no single food can 'cure' depression, eating healthily can calm depressive symptoms. Learn about foods that boost mood and energy.

Blurtitout Team

Published at 08:06

When we’re depressed, eating ‘properly’ is often the last thing on our minds. Food is simply fuel, another item on an overwhelming to-do list of things that must be done, or a source of short-lived comfort.

And yet, the foods we eat play a vital role in both our physical and our psychological health.  Making positive nutritional choices can make a real difference to our overall well-being. Learn about foods that boost mood energy here.

Energy-Boosting & Mood-Boosting Foods

  • Healthy fats. 
  • Whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. 
  • Protein. 
  • Water.

Foods For Improved Mood & More Energy

HEALTHY EATING

There are a lot of conflicting messages out there about what is meant by healthy eating. Traditionally, the focus was on limiting calories, then came the low-carb high-protein trend, and now there are innumerable health gurus out there singing the praises of spirulina and kale smoothies.

Award-winning dietician Lucy Jones warns us against getting too caught up in such “food fashions”.  Eating healthily needn’t be complicated, overwhelming or costly.

Instead we should focus on regularly consuming a variety of nutrient-rich, wholesome foods from the groups we list below. As a rule, the less processed our food, the better.

Improving our diet won’t reap instant results, but consistently eating good quality foods WILL lead to an improvement in mental function, mood and energy levels, which, in turn, can lessen the impact of depression.

FOODS THAT HELP

The Association of British Dietitians[1] recommends that to help boost mood and energy, our diets should principally be made up of the following types of food:

1. FATS

Yes you read that right: fat is our friend!

Our brains are made of around 40% fat, and we need an adequate supply of it to maintain good health.

However, before we crack open the cream cakes we should note it is unsaturated fat, found in foods like olive or rapeseed oil, nuts, seeds and avocados, that we need to be eating. Trans fats, the fats found in processed foods like sausages, ready meals, or pre-packed cakes and biscuits, may in fact harm brain structure and function.

In addition, essential fatty acids, the Omega 3 oils, have been shown in several studies to help improve mood and reduce depressive symptoms. The best sources are oily, fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, herring, sardines, pilchards and trout. We should aim to eat a couple of portions a week.

If you don’t like fish, or are vegetarian, healthy fats can also be found in flaxseed and walnuts, as well as omega 3 fortified foods. Look out for fortified eggs and fish fingers. Alternatively, you may wish to consider taking a supplement.

2. WHOLE GRAINS, FRUIT & VEG

The best food is whole food or food in its most natural state.

Whole grains, beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, fruits, and vegetables are enormously good for us. They’re full of fibre, and provide the vitamins and minerals our bodies need to function well.

Complex carbohydrates, found in oats, grains, brown rice and veg like squash, release serotonin in the brain, while B vitamins, including folate and zinc, have been found to be particularly useful in managing depression. You can get these vitamins via a range of wholefoods, or by eating food like marmite and fortified breakfast cereals.

We should be aiming to eat at least five different fruits and vegetables daily to get all the vitamins and minerals we need. If this feels overwhelming, or the idea of chopping up loads of vegetables when you can barely get out of bed feels a bit much, remember this is a target we can work towards, and that there are ‘convenient’ options out there, like fruit smoothies, pre-prepared salads, and frozen vegetables.

3. PROTEIN

FOODS THAT BOOST MOOD AND ENERGY
Protein can improve our mood and energy levels. Photo: Team Design

Protein is required for our bodies’ growth, maintenance and repair; a lack of protein-rich foods in our diets can lead to irritability, fatigue, and other mood disorders.

Moreover, some studies have shown that tryptophan, one of the building blocks of protein, can improve the mental health of people with depression.

Most people correctly associate animal-derived food, meat, fish, shellfish, eggs and dairy products, as rich in protein; however plant-based foods like lentils, beans, nuts and seeds, as well as some vegetables, such soybeans, peas and broccoli, are also good sources of protein.

Iron deficiency, or anaemia, can also affect your mood and energy levels, so it’s important to eat foods that contain iron. Red meat is the most effective source of iron, but you can also get it by eating plant proteins like beans and lentils, as well as dried apricots, dark chocolate, and fortified breakfast cereals.

4. WATER

Although not technically a food, water plays a huge role in our brain function.

The European Food Safety Authority[2] recommends we drink around 2 litres of water a day. You can find out the precise amount you need using the Hydration For Health calculator.[3]

Not drinking enough water affects our concentration, our memory and learning ability; even the slightest case of dehydration can have a negative impact on our mood and overall brain health.

FOODS THAT HINDER

FOODS THAT BOOST MOOD AND ENERGY
There are some foods to avoid. Photo: Team Design

At Blurt, we don’t believe in denial, but there are certain foods we should seek to limit due to their low nutritional content and the effects they have on our system.

Caffeine and alcohol are both dehydrating, especially when drunk in large quantities, and can disrupt our sleep patterns. Caffeine withdrawal symptoms can make us feel anxious, irritable and low, and drinking too much can deplete our iron and calcium levels. Drinking too much alcohol comes with its own host of problems, including the depletion of B vitamins, which again leads to low mood.

Sugar is another food we should avoid consuming in large quantities. Eating lots of sugar spikes our blood sugar levels, which leads to feelings of fatigue and irritability when our glucose drops (Ever heard the phrase “sugar coma”?). Again, too much sugar has also been linked to depression as the body uses up essential B Vitamins to process the sugar into energy.

Although undoubtedly convenient, most processed foods, which are foods that come pre-prepared in packages, like ready meals or biscuits, have limited nutritional value. Eat as many fresh foods as possible to supply your brain with the micronutrients it needs to function properly.

We are not suggesting you cut these foods out of your diet completely, but they should be consumed in moderation, alongside more brain-boosting treats.

WELL-BEING BOOSTERS

As well as eating a wide range of healthy foods, there are a few other things we can do to maximise our well-being.

1. EAT REGULARLY

Although what we eat is important, when we eat is even more crucial for our well-being. Eating little and often is the name of the game. As Lucy Jones explains:

“The first thing to think about, rather than the specific foods that we should be eating, is the way we should be eating. Eating a regular meal pattern can play a big role in improving  energy levels, brain function, concentration and ability to remember things.

Actually getting up and getting into a regular meal pattern throughout the day gives your brain a constant supply of energy from the food that you eat. We know that long periods of fasting can actually negatively affect our mood and our energy levels leaving people sort of distracted and less productive throughout the day”.

2. CONSIDER SUPPLEMENTS

Although a varied diet can supply our bodies with all the goodness it needs, in some cases a nutritional supplement may be helpful. As the BDA outlines:[4]

If you have not been eating well recently, or rely on ready meals and packaged foods regularly, you may be lacking certain vitamins and minerals. If you smoke or drink too much alcohol you may also need extra nutrients.

If so, you may want to take a one-a-day complete multivitamin and mineral supplement. These contain a full range of all the essential vitamins and nutrients. Choose one that contains 100% of recommended daily intakes. Very high dose supplements are not more effective than these and just cost extra money. They may even cause an increased risk of ill health. Vitamin A and E supplements in particular are not recommended for smokers.

Recent research has also shown that folate supplements may increase the effectiveness of antidepressant medication. If you are thinking about taking any additional nutrient supplements ask your doctor for advice.

BE GOOD TO YOURSELF

While eating healthily can help calm depressive symptoms, making radical lifestyle changes can be daunting, especially when we’re in the depths of depression.

If reading this post has inspired you to improve your diet, remember you don’t need to overhaul everything all at once. You can start small: maybe by ensuring you eat one piece of fruit a day, and then, when that becomes a habit, introducing another.

Celebrate your successes, however small, but don’t berate yourself for ‘slip-ups’. Remember the motivation behind eating healthily is feeling good. If being mindful of your diet leaves you feeling ‘bad’ or dispirited or guilty, shift your focus elsewhere. Depression gives us a hard enough time as it is. Your well-being is what is most important.

Sharing is caring: please share this post to help others, you never know who might need it. 

Resources

  1. BDA (2024). Home. [online] Uk.com. Available at: https://www.bda.uk.com/.
  2. European Food Safety Authority. (2021). European Food Safety Authority. [online] Available at: https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en.
  3. ‌Hydrationforhealth.com. (2023). Hydration Calculator. [online] Available at: https://www.hydrationforhealth.com/en/hydration-tools/hydration-calculator.

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