The old adage, you are what you eat, applies to both our body and mind. “There’s no doubt that food and mood are really closely connected,” says Dr Federica Amati, the head nutritionist for Zoe, the nutrition science company set up by Prof Tim Spector. “For example, we know that food and dietary patterns are really important in helping to prevent mental health disorders, but also in improving their symptoms. We also know they can help with sleep and energy levels, both important markers of mental health.”
There is no silver bullet when it comes to food and brain health according to Sarah Berry, an associate professor in nutritional sciences at King’s College London: “Improving brain health is down to overall dietary patterns, rather than single foods. We need to eat a wide variety of nutritional foods, because a diverse diet contains lots of different chemicals that all work together to improve health.”
A recent study published in Nature Mental Health journal backed this up, and found when it comes to brain health, nothing beats a balanced diet. Dr Wei Cheng, one of the study’s authors at Fudan University in China said, “People who ate a more balanced diet had better ‘fluid intelligence’ [the ability to problem solve] and better processing speed, memory and executive functions [which include things like organisational skills and attention].”
However, says Dr Berry, “there are some magic ingredients in certain foods that really can help our brains.”
Salmon
Sarah Carter is a health and wellness expert residing in the UK. With a background in healthcare, she offers evidence-based advice on fitness, nutrition, and mental well-being, promoting healthier living for readers.
