Four Foods That Can Make You Depressed

Every health-conscious guy knows that filling a diet with white carbs is a major waistline wrecker. But recent research indicates that eating these unhealthy foods can also significantly affect your mind. According to a new study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers found that the more subjects consumed foods with added sugars and refined grains, the higher their risk of new-onset depression. Likewise, those whose diet consisted of dietary fiber, whole grains, vegetables, and non-fruit juices had a decreased risk.

While this particular study only looked at female subjects, past research has also indicated that a poor diet can be linked to poor mental health as well. So what foods should you avoid to make sure you’re not putting yourself in danger of depression? Here’s a brief breakdown of foods that could be just as damaging to your brain as they are to your body

    1. Sugar

Ever since you were a kid, people have warned you to avoid eating too many sweets otherwise you’ll suffer a major sugar-rush. The same warning should follow you into adulthood. Because of sugar’s stimulating abilities, it causes a quick spike in your blood sugar level, which then leads to a major crash. This happens because your sugar surge wears off once the body increases insulin production. As a result, you’re left feeling tired and down. Too much of this over time can lead to some serious risk factors with your emotional state. 

2. Processed and fatty food

Think twice before biting into that next hot dog — processed foods come with major risks for your health and well being. According to a study published in the British Journal of Psychology, eating a diet filled with processed and fatty foods increases the risk of depression. In this study, subjects who ate primarily fried food, processed meat, and high-fat products had a 58% higher risk of depression than subjects who ate healthy whole foods. Another recent study found similar results, claiming this could possibly be due to the fact that a high fat diet changes the mix of bacteria in the gut, also known as the gut microbiome.

3. Alcohol

Although a few drinks here and there won’t do any harm, excessive alcohol consumption is proven to be associated with anxiety and panic attacks. In addition, since alcohol also depletes serotonin, it can increase the risk of depression.

    4.  Caffeine

According to Psychology Today, caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea, and hot cocoa could actually be hurting your mental well being. That’s because caffeine inhibits serotonin and therefore leads to an increased risk of anxiety and depression. This is especially bad when sugar is included in the mix; so if there’s no way to give up your caffeine habit, at least avoid adding sweeteners. And, whatever you do, stay away from those sodas, since they’re the dreaded trifecta: processed, sugary, and caffeinated