The Food - Mood Connection
Power veggie bowl
More and more research reports like this one have begun to identify the link between food and it’s direct impact our mental and emotional state of well-being both in terms of numerous neurological conditions (like anxiety and depression) as well as plain old moods. It's becoming more evident that what we eat, becomes who we are in more ways than one.
It also supports much of my work in relation to healthy nutrition and it's impact on teen mental health. When I work with a teen or young adult client, I'm always looking at their nutrition and health habits through a lens of how it not only impacts their body, but also their mental and emotional state.
As parents of teens can contest, mood swings and emotional outbursts are not uncommon among their teens. Some behavior can be more extreme than others as with anxiety and depression, while other teens may struggle with focus, memory and attention at school.
The good news is research is showing much of this can be addressed through simple nutritional and habit changes at home.
Here are a few simple changes that can improve a teen’s food-mood relationship:
1. Limit:
Sugar
I've seen this in my own daughter. After cutting back on processed sugars and carbs (think packaged baked goods, crackers, and white flours), I saw a significant improvement in her moodiness and overall attitude. Her blood sugar was more stable, her energy returned, and her moods improved.
Packaged foods like the above mentioned, popular coffee drinks and smoothies, granolas/"energy" bars, flavored yogurts, and even flavored waters can have significant amounts of sugar. Buyer beware!
Saturated Fats
Many fast foods and packaged foods have saturated fat. Also avoid vegetable oils which are hydrogenated as part of their processing. Stick to healthier options like cold-pressed EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil), Avocado oil, and Coconut oil.
Note: oat milk (a current fad favorite) often includes canola oil as a main ingredient which I recommend to clients to avoid.
Sodium
Some popular teen foods are high in sodium. Fast food is loaded with it and packaged foods like noodle soups, among many other foods, can be also.
2. Add or increase:
Nutritional Supplements
American adults and, I'll wager even more significantly, teens are deficient in a number of essential vitamins and minerals.
Why do I call-out teens? Because they're less likely to proactively take supplements and their diets include foods that either lack nutrients, contribute unhealthy ingredients, or sap their bodies of any beneficial nutrients they are receiving. Foods full of sugar, saturated fats, sodium and caffeine to name a few major culprits.
Add to that, teens are more likely to be vegan or vegetarian, further narrowing their sources of some beneficial nutrients.
Adding nutritional supplements to their diet can help fill in the gaps.
Supplements:
Consider a daily supplement as part of your teen's diet that includes the following as possible:
Vitamins (B6, B9 and B12)
Vitamin D3 1,000 - 4,000 IU (25-100 mcg) daily - Based on current research.
Iron (deficiency can be higher for adolescents with ADHD)
Chromium, Lithium, Selenium, and Zinc
Amino Acids (deficiencies often associated with depression)
Provide plenty of healthy foods that serve as the foundation for their diet and mental health strategy.
Vegetables and Fruits
I'm a big proponent of a plant-centered diet for teens, and brain health is just one of the reasons why. Not only are veggies and fruit loaded with vitamins and minerals, they also provide gut-friendly fiber and anti-inflammatory factors.
Teens who are vegan or vegetarian should make this food group at least 50% if not more of their daily nutritional intake.
When buying and serving fruits and vegetables, think:
- Variety of colorful fruits -- the more the better
- Leafy greens like kale, spinach, served on a regular basis
- Fruits lower in sugar and higher in fiber (think berries, bananas
- Opt for organic and non-GMO if, and whenever, possible
If you're looking for healthy recipes there's plenty of great food bloggers with super delicious meals that your teen will love. Try popular sites like eatingwell or one of my absolute favorites: https://www.loveandlemons.com/ (avoid big brand sites, weight loss sites, and overly sponsored sites which are self-serving and offer recipes that are typically not that healthy).
Whole Grains
This is often a much-maligned area of diets and has become the evil stepsister in recent years due to the gluten trend. But whole grains have many positive disease prevention benefits and when removed from our diet can cause deficiencies. Plus, excluding wheat, many whole grains are gluten-free like oats, quinoa, buckwheat, millet, and amaranth.
Always opt for whole grains and avoid processed, white "all-purpose" flours (stripped of their natural fiber, they quickly convert into sugar during digestion).
Beans and Lentils
Another area that is sometimes avoided (and reasonable if they cause bloating and gut discomfort). However, beans can complement a wide variety of meals from breakfast through dinner, and are a great source of iron, vitamin B9 (folate), protein, fiber and antioxidants. Use a variety of beans to maximize their nutritional benefits and keep meals interesting.
Some of my favorites: Any color lentil plus, black beans, chickpeas (garbanzo beans) and white great northern beans. Pinto beans, kidney beans and navy beans are also excellent choices.
Fatty Fish
Salmon is widely known for its high Omega-3 fatty acid content but so is albacore tuna as well as small fish like sardines and anchovies (benefit: both are low in mercury vs a large fish like tuna).
Nuts and Seeds
Nuts and seeds not only make a great, crunchy snack for teens(a good alternative to chips), but they’re also full of omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins and a list of beneficial minerals that boost mood, calm anxiety and increase energy and alertness. Who can be drowsy with all that crunching going on?!
Some great choices include
Seeds: pumpkin, sesame, chia and flax
Nuts: walnuts, almonds, cashews, peanuts
Fermented Foods
Growing in popularity, we’re just discovering the significant gut health benefits of fermented foods. As a child and young adult, I was completely turned off by fermented foods but have since discovered not all are pungent and repulsive to me like I thought, and their positive benefits for bloating and gut health are noticeable. Now research is showing the gut benefits are reaching the brain and affecting behavior (like serotonin)!
A few of my favorites: Yogurt, kefir (in smoothies!), kombucha (watch the sugar content in some), miso, and fermented tofu. Other popular fermented foods include tempeh, kimchi, and sauerkraut.
Dark Chocolate
Hands down my favorite food of all time, dark chocolate is on my daily menu! Just a small square and I’m good to go.
Besides my love of dark chocolate, the brain-related reason it’s on this list is the antioxidant rich compounds it contains (flavonoids) which are considered to improve cognitive performance. Yay for dark chocolate!
If your teen likes chocolate, try to shift them off milk chocolate and eat dark chocolate instead when they want to satisfy a sweet craving. IMHO, the rich flavor goes a long way and just a small amount is enough to satisfy a sweet tooth.
Green Tea
Last on my list for today (basically because not many teens are big on tea), but I couldn’t leave it off due to it’s natural nutritional compounds that are reported to improve brain function like attention, mood, and memory, while also potentially reducing anxiety. So, if you have a teen that’s open to green tea and struggles with any of these brain functions, have them give it a try by drinking a cup or two daily.
Note: with green tea, quality does matter. Try to purchase a high quality green or matcha green tea.
Also note: many matcha lattes or green tea lattes at popular coffee shops have lots of added sugar. Ask the barista what type of green tea they use, as well as the type and amount of sweetener. Drinking a green tea latte loaded with sugar can negate the mood boosting effect of green tea, and contribute to other health issues like insulin resistance, weight gain and gut bloating.
If your teen is struggling with any of the mentioned mood challenges, try making changes to their diet with these foods, and feel free to let me know how it goes. I love hearing feedback and learning what’s working most for you and your teen.
You can also share this episode of the Healthy Teen Life podcast with your teen, so they can learn more and be empowered to make healthy food changes for better moods and mental health! Listen and share below.