Have you ever felt grumpy, gone to the freezer for a pint of ice cream, and finished it feeling even worse than you did before?
There are a lot of reasons for that, but a lot of it is because what you eat on a daily basis can really affect your mood. Eating the wrong thing can set off the rest of your day. In fact, eating the wrong thing can send you into real depression.
So what are the most likely culprits?
- Trans fats. Artery-clogging trans fats can cause tons of health conditions, including heart disease. But what you may not know is that trans fats can actually increase your risk for depression by up to 48 percent. Yikes! Probably better to stay away.
- Sugar. This one could come as a surprise, since sugar tends to be associated with temporary sugar highs. However, sugar can also cause inflammation all over the body and in the brain. Inflammation is being connected more and more with depression. One study found that patients who took anti-inflammatories for pain also saw decreases in depression symptoms. So if you cut out the source of the inflammation (sugar), you could cut out the depression.
- Artificial sweeteners. If sugar was going to be on the list, then you knew these would be too. Just because it has fewer calories doesn’t mean it’s better for you. In fact, it’s even worse. One study was done to test the effect of aspartame on those with depression, and the study had to be stopped because several participants developed suicidal thoughts. It’s believed that these sweeteners decrease serotonin, which regulates happiness.
- Refined carbs. This includes your pastas, refined grains, and breads. One study found that the higher a woman’s blood sugar after eating refined grains, the higher the risk of depression. However, the jury’s oud on this one, because the study also found the reverse to be true.
