The Food–Mood Connection: The Science of Eating and Your Emotions

Have you considered how closely your mood and eating habits are linked? The relationship goes both ways -feeling low can change how and what you eat, while your food choices can, in turn, affect your emotional wellbeing.

This connection can manifest in various ways; It may be that low mood or anxiety leads you to a sense of needing to control your food intake or feeling completely out of control around food. On the flip side, chaotic eating may lead to nutrient insufficiencies that influence your brain health and the production of brain chemicals and hormones that play a role in your mood.

Specific nutrients play a vital role in maintaining optimal mental well-being. Just as a finely tuned engine needs the right fuel, the brain and body rely on essential vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and natural fats to regulate neurotransmitters and hormones that influence mood.

The key nutrients for mood and how you can easily incorporate them into your diet:

Amino Acids for a Balanced Mood

Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, and they play a critical role in making neurotransmitters, which are chemical messengers that send signals between nerve cells in the brain. Several amino acids are involved in making neurotransmitters.

Here are some key amino acids and their roles:

Tryptophan is needed to make serotonin, a neurotransmitter associated with your mood, sleep, and appetite control.

Tyrosine is needed for both dopamine and norepinephrine. Dopamine plays a role in pleasure, reward, and motivation, while norepinephrine is involved in the body's stress response and arousal.

Phenylalanine is also needed to make dopamine and norepinephrine. It is first converted into tyrosine.

Glutamine is important for making GABA, a neurotransmitter involved in reducing anxiety and promoting relaxation.

These amino acids can be found in a variety of protein-rich foods, including meats, dairy products, eggs, soy, nuts, seeds, and some vegetables.

Micro nutrients

B vitamins are a diverse group, some of which have a unique role in maintaining our mental well-being.

Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)is needed for healthy oestrogen and progesterone balance.

Found in: Chickpeas, bananas, poultry, fortified cereals. Role: Essential for converting the amino acid tryptophan into serotonin, a neurotransmitter that contributes to feelings of happiness and well-being

Vitamin B9 (Folate or Folic Acid) and vitamin B12 are needed to make dopamine and serotonin, which are crucial for mood regulation.

Folate is found in: Leafy greens, legumes, citrus fruits, fortified grains.

Vitamin B12 is found in: Animal products (meat, fish, dairy)

Vitamin D, often known as the sunshine vitamin, because we receive most of our intake from sunlight exposure. It regulates mood and may help prevent mood disorders like depression.

Found in: Fatty fish (salmon, mackerel), eggs fortified dairy products

Magnesium activates enzymes involved in making neurotransmitters potentially improving mood. Magnesium also supports healthy progesterone levels.

Found in: Nuts, seeds, leafy greens, whole grains.

Zinc helps our brain chemicals to function, and helps to regulate hormones,

Found in: Meat, seafood, nuts, legumes.

Iron is essential for making dopamine and other mood-regulating neurotransmitters. (too much of this can however have a negative effect and important not to take supplements without first checking serum levels.)

Found in: Red meat, poultry, beans, fortified cereals.

Selenium may influence mood regulation. It is also important for thyroid function, and imbalances in thyroid hormones can affect mood and oestrogen levels.

Found in: Brazil nuts, seafood, whole grains.

Essential Fats

Omega 3 fats are critical for brain health. They play a role in the formation of cell membranes and neurotransmitter function, affecting mood regulation. EPA + DHA forms of omega 3 fats, are involved in regulating the release of neurotransmitters and hormones that affect mood, including serotonin and cortisol.

Found in - Fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines), flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts.

My take home message is to avoid obsessing over individual nutrients but instead think about what you can add in to build a balanced, varied diet. You may be fearful of carbs or fats for example and as a result be missing out on key nutrients that will help you feel better and bring a greater sense of feeling in control around your eating.

This is just one of the many topics I explore in my best-selling book: 📕 The Binge Freedom Method: Your Four Pillar Plan to Beat Emotional Eating for Good, where I share strategies, tools and insights to help you understand your patterns and take back control of your eating habits.

You can also get started today by downloading my Breaking the Cycle Toolkit for FREE,  which includes a key step designed to help you reconnect with your appetite cues and begin taking small, practical steps toward freedom from binge eating.