This One Food Does Not Lessen Depression To The Degree The Internet Claims

Don’t believe everything you read on the internet.

by Rachel Linder

When it comes to natural remedies for mental health issues, there are a ton, and even though many of them do have science to back them up, others are not supported by studies, yet continue to spread quickly online. It’s important to know the difference between these untrue claims and science-backed remedies, especially when it comes to mental health.

One that we’ve been seeing a lot recently on the internet and social media, even reposted by a Mental Health Instagram account with over 1 million followers, is the claim that “two handfuls of cashews is the therapeutic equivalent of a prescription dose of Prozac.”

Even though cashews are definitely a snack that is high in tryptophan, which increases serotonin in the body, making you feel happier—these claims of the medicinal power of cashews is not completely true. It’s not as if you can stop taking antidepressant medication, as someone who is clinically depressed, and replace it with eating two handfuls of cashews a day, even though that’s how the post presents the information.

The claim appears to have originated from a statement made by Dr. Andrew Saul, a therapeutic nutritionist and editor-in-chief of Orthomolecular Medicine News Service—but it was changed significantly into the post that’s floating around the internet today. Dr. Saul’s original message was that “several handfuls of cashews provide 1,000-2,000 milligrams of tryptophan, which will work as well as prescription antidepressants.” Even though that does sound similar to the viral post, there are some incredibly important distinctions.

Dr. Saul is focusing on the level of tryptophan rather than the amount of cashews. Therefore, saying 1,000-2,000 milligrams of tryptophan found in several handfuls of cashews is extremely different from saying two handfuls of cashews. In most instances, several does not mean two, but even more important is that the Doctor’s focus is on the amount of tryptophan rather than the amount of cashews, as it is the tryptophan that has a direct impact on your mood. So, even though eating lots of cashews may have an impact on your overall mood, Dr. Saul is not suggesting from this claim that one should rely on cashews in the way that the online post suggests.

Unfortunately, this is not the only false claim or myth that is circling the internet surrounding mental health. That’s why it’s crucial to remain skeptical and critical when you come across things on the internet that seem too good to be true—sometimes they are. A good rule of thumb when reading about anything health related is to look for studies that support the claims, as long as the studies are published by reputable journals and websites, you’re usually safe. This is just another reason not to believe everything you read on the internet.