Eat for Your Mental Health

We all share a common desire to feel good and live our lives to the fullest. Our mental health is key to this, and how we eat every day plays a central role. Choosing certain foods over others greatly impacts our thoughts, our mood, our energy level and our overall health and wellbeing.

Foods that play a positive role in mental health are also beneficial in preventing chronic conditions such as diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and certain types of cancer, so this is great news. Choosing these foods can be challenging when we are not used to them, when their preparation is unfamiliar, or when we feel that time is limited, but know that there are many choices and ways to enjoy them.

The important thing is to eat a variety of whole foods on most days. This means unprocessed or minimally processed foods. Preparing meals at home is always best, but you can choose simple prepared meals when eating out or ordering food, such as grilled chicken with sautéed veggies and rice. Portions tend to be big when we eat out, so keep that in mind. Also, no one food is “the one”.

Other things to consider are seasonality – foods in season are often more nutritious and less costly – and how food is grown. Farmers markets are a great place to shop what’s in season and many farmers markets in New York City accept SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits via EBT cards. You can use your EBT card to purchase eligible food items like fruits, vegetables, and meats at these markets. In some cases, you may even receive additional benefits like Health Bucks when using SNAP at certain markets. Consider organic foods if you can afford them.

Below are foods categorized in groups that can be part of your meals or snacks every day. We call foods within these groups “always foods”. We choose those within each group that are especially high in a group of compounds called polyphenols, which are vital to our mental health and help prevent diseases. Don’t let this distract you though, ALL fruits and veggies are good for you!

Choose foods from these groups based on what you find in season, what you like, what you know how to prepare, or what you wish to try and can afford. Allow yourself to explore by tasting new foods, you could be surprised!

Some foods can affect our mental health negatively, making us feel more anxious, mentally depleted, or even more depressed. These foods are processed, have multiple ingredients listed on the food label -including preservatives and other chemical ingredients- and are generally high in saturated fats, sugar and calories with little number of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals.

Remember, food is medicine. Eat well, be well.