Incorporating these foods could be a game-changer for your mental health.

by Rachel Linder

When we’re feeling down all we can think about is the fastest way to get out of that funk. It’s sometimes tricky though, when you don’t have the strategies to make a change or know of anything new to try. Your diet, though, could be a great place to start. The foods you’re eating might be making you feel a certain way, and you may not even realize it. These are the foods to swap into your diet to help to work towards getting that positive energy back.

Leafy Green Vegetables

Everything from collard greens to kale to spinach are considered leafy greens, and they can all help you to feel less down. According to a review of three studies done in 2009, the Omega-3’s found in these vegetables are the key to their antidepressant qualities.

Tofu

It is possible to feel depressed from a lack of Vitamin D, so it’s essential that you make sure you’re getting enough of this vitamin throughout the day. You can definitely get it through the sun, but don’t sleep on the idea of getting it through your diet. Tofu is a Vitamin-D packed option to help ensure you’re not deficient.

Fruits

There’s almost never a bad time to add more fruit into your diet, so it’s not surprising that folate, found in fruits and fruit juices, can help your mood. Specifically, folates are helpful because they are known to lessen symptoms of mood disorders—folate deficiency means low levels of serotonin and dopamine. So if you didn’t have a reason to start eating fruits, now you do!

Whole Grain Bread

It’s the fiber in whole grain bread that’s helpful to people suffering from depression. Research found an inverse correlation between an individual’s total healthy fiber intake through foods such as whole grain breads and depressive symptoms. That means swapping out your white bread for whole grain could be the trick you need to start feeling better.

Fish

You can thank the high amounts of Omega-3’s and protein in fish for this one. According to a Harvard article, consuming lean fish regularly could help you to exhibit fewer depression symptoms in comparison to those who do not consume fish.

Cashews

If you’re wondering why cashews, specifically, it’s because they’re packed with tons of mood-stabilizing vitamins, which make them helpful for people suffering from both anxiety and depression. They’ve even been likened to having similar effects to a dose of Prozac, and if you’re like us, you’d rather have a handful of cashews. There’s no question they taste a lot better.

Canola Oil and Flaxseed Oil

The Omega 3 fatty acids strike again, but this time in the form of canola and flaxseed oils. According to research, these oils are seen as extremely therapeutic to the body, especially when it comes to treating symptoms of depression. These oils can be used for anything from cooking to baking, even in salad dressings.

Beans

Thanks to many clinical trials, we’ve been able to see the impacts of zinc on patients suffering from major depression. Beans happen to be packed with zinc and folate, two vitamins that help to lift you up when you’re feeling down. So making a bean salad could be the perfect side dish to help you get out of your rut.

Lean Meats

Similar to the effects of eating fish, eating less lean meat was seen to have an impact on depression diagnoses. A 2012 study found that women who consumed less lean meat than suggested were twice as likely to be diagnosed with a mental health issue such as anxiety or depression.

These simple food additions to your diet could be the key to boosting your mood and starting to get to feeling yourself again.

Photos: Adobe Spark