Joseph Firth et al.

… In recent years, the relationships bet­ween nutrition and mental health have gained considerable interest. Indeed, epidemiological research has observed that adherence to healthy or Mediterranean dietary patterns—high consumption of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes; moderate consumption of poultry, eggs, and dairy products; and only occasional consumption of red meat—is associated with a reduced risk of depression.

… However, the nature of these relations is complicated by the clear potential for reverse causality between diet and mental health … In addition, relationships between nutrition and longstanding mental illness are compounded by barriers to maintaining a healthy diet. 

… While acknowledging the complex, multidirectional nature of the relationships between diet and mental health, in this article we focus on the ways in which certain foods and dietary patterns could affect mental health.

Image: Brooke Lark @ Unsplash