Mental health: what if the Mediterranean diet could help you get better?

The Mediterranean diet has been shown for many years to be one of the most beneficial to health. But did you know it can also help maintain good mental health?

Mental health is a huge topic that has been talked about a lot in recent years. And that’s good, because it has long been a subject of taboo. In 2018, University College London looked at the impact of food on morale. And the results of his research are quite surprising. In reality people who have adopted a strict Mediterranean diet (attention, we are not talking about a diet for weight loss but a diet based on fresh, seasonal products, rich in good fats), they are up to 33% less likely to be diagnosed with depression.

A 2022 University of Technology Sydney clinical study published in the journal AJCN also shows, that such a diet can improve the quality of life and decrease the severity of depression in young men. The latter was carried out on a panel of 75 participants with an average age of 22 years. However, it is unfortunate that the same study has not yet been conducted on women. Since they are twice as likely to have a depressive episode (13% versus 6.4% for men), according to a study by Public Health France.

But how can food have such effects?

A significant reduction in inflammation

We have known for some time: the gut is our second brain. When inflammation creeps into the body, disrupts brain function and alters the neural systems involved in mood regulation. To combat this problem, scientists found that the Mediterranean diet modifies and improves the composition of the gut microbiota, thus causing less chronic inflammation. Psycho-nutritionist Itziar Digón validates this theory with the magazine Vogue France :

“All the ingredients included in the Mediterranean diet reduce the inflammation that forms in the body and prevent it from reaching the brain, thus preventing emotional disturbances. An inflamed gut leads to an inflamed brain that is no longer able to make the right decisions. On the other hand, when we eat well, we have more energy and are in a better mood. ”

How to adopt the Mediterranean diet?

The Mediterranean diet is based on a simple concept: eat as much seasonal fruit and vegetables as possible (at least 50% of the diet should consist of them), and avoid processed foods as much as possible. But that is not all!

The consumption of legumes is recommended twice a week, as well as that of fish which is made up of omega-3, good fats that our body needs to fight cardiovascular diseases. Add to this the whole grains with the preserved husk and germ, together with the use of cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil, mixed with regular physical activity and lots of rest… and you have your Mediterranean diet.