With record numbers of people experiencing serious hardship in 2020, it’s no wonder mental health has been impacted for so many. Studies have shown that a vegan diet (and even a vegetarian diet) has benefits for your mood, but we wanted to look at a few specific foods that are worth including in your diet to support that feeling of wellbeing. This is just the tip of the iceberg – and we might delve into other foods in coming newsletters – but these are our top three to get you started.
TIP! Get yourself a good vegetable wash, or use apple cider vinegar.
watercress
The cabbage family’s peppery leafy green, watercress, is the most anti-depressant plant-based food, so it’s our main pick to include in your diet. It’s a nutritional powerhouse loaded with vitamins and minerals (it’s ranked as the most nutrient-dense plant food), as well as antioxidants and phytochemicals. Although not quite as potent, spinach and lettuce (especially red leaf and cos) also rank pretty high on the anti-depressant food list.
tea
Tea, especially green tea and matcha – but also black, white, and oolong – contain the amino acid L-theanine, which has several health benefits, including improvements in mood, cognition, and a reduction of stress and anxiety-like symptoms. (Research supporting tea and L-theanine was based on 2 cups minimum per day.)
turmeric & black pepper
In part due to antioxidant activity and its effect on monoamine oxidase, as well as serotonin and dopamine, the powerful combo of turmeric and black pepper is accumulating a strong body of evidence for its anti-depressant activity. Whether it’s in curries, soups or salad dressings, try to get these two spices into your diet daily.
Along with these foods, we recommend emotional self-care: good sleep (crucially important), meditation, exercise, social connection, creative pursuits, and watching your consumption of alcohol, coffee, and sugar. And try to buy local, organic, and in season.
NOTE! It’s super important to say that this isn’t medical advice, nor is it suggested that any particular food would take the place of medications for any condition, especially mood-related conditions.
