Eating a Mediterranean diet may help prevent depression, research suggests.
A plant-based diet of fruit, veg, grains, fish, nuts and olive oil – but not too much meat or dairy – appeared to have benefits in terms of mood.
This diet is also called “mood-food” but let me explain it to you.
There are lots of other factors that may be involved.
- Being depressed can cause loss of appetite, and someone who is feeling low might not look after themselves so well
- Happy people may be more likely to lead healthier lifestyles (not drinking too much alcohol – a known mood depressant)
- It might be that eating bad foods – lots of sugar and highly processed foods – increases the risk of depression, meaning eliminating these from your diet is important
A typical Mediterranean diet includes lots of vegetables, fruits, beans, cereals and cereal products, for example wholegrain bread, pasta and brown rice. It also contains moderate amounts of fish, white meat and some dairy produce.
For more details, check out https://www.bbc.com/news/health-45641628