Some people simply can’t eat when they are stressed, anxious, excited, mad, or depressed. On the other hand, some turn to food (or beverages) for comfort – and those choices in the heat of emotion might not be the healthiest options. But did you know the reverse can be true – that the food you eat might affect your mood? This article focuses on several foods that can benefit your mood – and provide other health benefits too.

1. Chocolate

I have previously written about cognitive and mood benefits of chocolate, so we’ll start here – especially since most of us love chocolate. I mean, you can pair it with so many things – a good cup of coffee (think mocha), some salty nuts for a sweet/bitter/salty contrast, or along with chili peppers for a spicy mole sauce – and who doesn’t love a nice glass of red wine with a piece of dark chocolate?

Some of the ingredients in chocolate that can impact your brain chemicals – like neurotransmitters and endocannabinoids (substances made by your body that behave like plant-sourced cannabinoids) include:

  • Flavanols and other polyphenols in chocolate can have a positive effect on mood.
  • Analogs (molecules with a similar structure and function) of the endocannabinoid anandamide can bind to cannabinoid receptors in your brain and slow the breakdown of anandamide, often referred to as the bliss molecule your own body produces.1  
  • Methylxanthines, including theobromine and caffeine, can benefit mood. One study found, however, that theobromine in lower amounts improved mood, while in higher amounts it had a negative effect.2 Moderation is the key.
  • Chocolate stimulates the release of endorphins, which in turn decreases anxiety and pain perception.
  • Chocolate contains precursors to the neurotransmitter dopamine – a happy neurotransmitter.
  • And finally, it’s likely that just the experience of tasting chocolate adds to the pleasurable feelings provided.

In an analysis of eight studies, five found that chocolate either resulted in a positive mood or resulted in decreasing a “bad” mood.3 If you are looking for a palatable, but potentially health-promoting chocolate, then look for a dark chocolate with at least 70-percent cacao.

2. Nuts

What if you were to mix chocolate with nuts? Nuts might provide an additive mood benefit. According to one study conducted at UCLA, mixed nuts have the potential to boost your mood. Participants in a weight-loss program with a low-calorie diet were divided into a mixed nuts snack group and a pretzel snack group. The participants in the mixed nuts diet group experienced improved satiety and lower diastolic blood pressure. In addition, the mixed nuts group had increased serotonin levels – a neurotransmitter that improves mood and, as a precursor to melatonin, also benefits sleep.4 

The study also found positive changes in the gut microbiome believed to be associated with the fiber and polyphenol content of nuts. Based on what is known about the gut-brain axis, these benefits to the microbiome might be another mechanism by which nuts benefit mood.

In another study, the evaluation of 26,656 participants found nut consumption, and walnuts in particular, was associated with lower scores on depression scales – 26-percent lower depression scores in the walnut-eating group compared to those who did not eat nuts.5 

3. Fatty fish

Fatty fish high in the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA have a number of health benefits for heart health, brain and nerve support, general inflammation, and so much more. Evidence also supports the consumption of fish can decrease the risk of depression. An analysis was conducted of 10 prospective studies (prospective studies provide more useful information than retrospective studies that often depend on participants’ recollection of what they ate) of the risk of depression in relation to fish consumption. The 10 studies included 109,764 participants and yielded 6,672 cases of depression. Fish consumption decreased depression risk by 13 percent when comparing the highest to the lowest intake groups; as little as one serving of fish a week decreased the risk by 11 percent.6 

Because this analysis found similar results when analyzing straight omega-3 fish oil consumption, fatty fish that are high in omega-3s would be preferable; these include salmon, mackerel, sardines, trout, tuna, swordfish, seabass, anchovies, and herring.

4. Coffee 

As a person who loves my morning cup of coffee – just one cup, a big cup – I am delighted to see the wide array of studies popping up in the last few years that show the health benefits of coffee ranging from cognitive to cardiovascular. Add mood to the list – and it turns out you might even get some benefit from decaf coffee. 

In a double-blind, crossover study of 72 habitual coffee drinkers, the effects of coffee with 100 mg of caffeine, decaf coffee with 5 mg of caffeine, or a coffee-flavored placebo were compared. Each participant was randomly assigned to one of the three beverages and their cognitive performance, reaction time, overall mood, tiredness, and jitteriness evaluated before and after consumption of each beverage with a 7-day washout period in between. In addition to the cognitive benefits, caffeinated coffee improved overall mood compared to decaf and placebo – with decaf falling in between caffeinated and placebo in terms of mood benefit.7

In addition to caffeine, chlorogenic acids in coffee (caffeinated and decaf) exert some mood benefits.8 

5. Olive oil

Olive oil has long been touted as a healthful addition to a healthy diet – and it’s likely one of the keys to the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet, including benefits on mood.

One study found extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) might benefit patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). In this double-blind study, 73 MDD patients were given either 25 milliliters per day of EVOO or sunflower oil for 52 days. Depression was assessed via two well-established depression scales; in addition, changes in salivary cortisol and brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) were measured. At the end of the study, patients with the severest depression experienced significant benefit both statistically and clinically (assessed via the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale) from taking EVOO compared to sunflower oil. The cortisol and BDNF levels were unchanged, so the exact mechanism of action was not determined.9

Mediterranean diet

Putting it all together, the Mediterranean diet is a good place to start, considering olive oil, nuts, and fish are important aspects of the typical diet consumed by inhabitants of the countries that surround the Mediterranean Sea. Other essential components of this diet include an array of colorful fruits and vegetables, avocados, legumes, and red wine (in moderation). A 2023 study found adherence to the Mediterranean diet was associated with a lower likelihood of depression in Chilean university students.10  

A 2018 study conducted in Italy that looked at components of the Mediterranean diet found that anthocyanins (a category of polyphenols found in high concentrations in red and purple berries), flavanones (found particularly in citrus fruits), and the specific flavonoids quercetin and naringenin were inversely associated with depressive symptoms (the higher the intake, the less likelihood of depression).11

And finally, a 2009 Spanish study of 10,094 university students followed for 4.4 years found adherence to a Mediterranean diet decreased risk of depression, with specific inverse associations with fruit, nuts, legumes, and mono-unsaturated fatty acids (such as those found in olive oil).12 

Click here for some Mediterranean diet recipes for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Add a supplement

If dietary changes are not quite enough to boost your mood, then combine a healthy diet with a nutritional supplement like Thorne’s Emotion Balance Support. This comprehensive formula combines several well-known neurotransmitter-supportive nutrients, including L-tyrosine, 5-HTP, and GABA, with two botanicals, Rhodiola and Eleutherococcus, and active forms of B vitamins, folate (5MTHF) and vitamin B12 (methylcobalamin), to support a balanced mood.*

References

  1. Nehlig A. The neuroprotective effects of cocoa flavanol and its influence on cognitive performance. Br J Clin Pharmacol 2013;75(3): 716-727.
  2. Baggott M, Childs E, Hart A, et al. Psychopharmacology of theobromine in healthy volunteers. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2013;228(1):109-118.
  3. Scholey A, Owen L. Effects of chocolate on cognitive function and mood: a systematic review. Nutr Rev 2013;71(10):665-681.
  4. Yang J, Lee R, Schulz Z, et al. Mixed nuts as healthy snacks: effect on tryptophan metabolism and cardiovascular risk factors. Nutrients 2023;15(3):569. doi: 10.3390/nu15030569.
  5. Arab L, Guo R, Elashoff D. Lower depression scores among walnut consumers in NHANES. Nutrients 2019;11(2):275. doi: 10.3390/nu11020275.
  6. Yang Y, Kim Y, Je Y. Fish consumption and risk of depression: Epidemiological evidence from prospective studies. Asia Pac Psychiatry 2018;10(4):e12335. doi: 10.1111/appy.12335.
  7. Haskell-Ramsay CF, Jackson PA, Forster JS, et al. The acute effects of caffeinated black coffee on cognition and mood in healthy young and older adults. Nutrients 2018;10(10):1386. doi: 10.3390/nu10101386.
  8. Cropley V, Croft R, Silber B, et al. Does coffee enriched with chlorogenic acids improve mood and cognition after acute administration in healthy elderly? A pilot study. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2012 Feb;219(3):737-49. doi: 10.1007/s00213-011-2395-0. 
  9. Foshati S, Ghanizadeh A, Akhlaghi M. Extra-virgin olive oil improves depression symptoms without affecting salivary cortisol and brain-derived neurotrophic factor in patients with major depression: a double-blind randomized controlled trial. J Acad Nutr Diet 2022;122(2):284-297.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.jand.2021.07.016. 
  10. Morales G, Balboa-Castillo T, Fernández-Rodríguez R, et al. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet and depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms in Chilean university students: a cross-sectional study. Cad Saude Publica 2023;39(10):e00206722. doi: 10.1590/0102-311XEN206722. 
  11. Godos J, Castellano S, Ray S, et al. Dietary polyphenol intake and depression: results from the Mediterranean healthy Eating, Lifestyle and Aging (MEAL) Study. Molecules 2018;23(5):999. doi: 10.3390/molecules23050999. 
  12. Sánchez-Villegas A, Delgado-Rodríguez M, Alonso A, et al. Association of the Mediterranean dietary pattern with the incidence of depression: the Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra/University of Navarra follow-up (SUN) cohort. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2009;66(10):1090-8. doi: 10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2009.129.