The Complicated Truth about Food and Depression

"It's your diet that's the problem, you just need to eat better." I'll never forget those words, said by a university counsellor when – faced with friendship dramas in my shared house, and all the usual student stresses of exams and essay deadlines – I went to her suffering from depression and anxiety.

For most people affected by depression, it's a familiar story: all those well-meaning people who so regularly dismiss very real distress with advice to simply "eat better" or "exercise more".

Of course, there is some truth in it – rationally, we all know that we feel better when we're eating well and getting plenty of exercise – but changing your diet isn't a quick and failsafe fix for depression, and it's often the last thing you want to hear, or do, when depression takes hold.

But just how much impact does what we eat really have on our mood, and is it possible to get a healthy balance?

"There is a link with food and mental health, but it's more about the way it affects your mood and your ability to feel well in yourself," says Lucy Lyus, Information Manager at mental health charity Mind. "There's no evidence to suggest that poor diet is necessarily a cause of depression; it's more about how well you're able to deal with difficult situations."

The proof is in the pudding

Nutritionist Kirsten Davies runs The Food Remedy and has experienced first-hand how eating better can impact on her mood. "When I was really depressed, my sister would clap for me if I got out of bed and had a shower. Learning to nourish my body and my mind has made so, so, so much difference," she says.

"Even now, on days when I'm working long hours, consuming too many stimulants – sugar, coffee, alcohol – I can still spiral," Kirsten adds.

"Life gets busy, but it's about recognising it. After two days of eating well, drinking enough water, and going to sleep at regular bedtimes, I feel like a completely different person again. Diet is so influential on our mood."

According to Lucy, the main thing to keep an eye on is your blood sugar level. "So much of our energy and mood can really be dictated by big changes in our blood sugar. If we're eating foods that are really high in sugar, like sugary cakes and white bread, that can cause a big spike in the blood sugar levels and then a quick drop," she explains. "That fluctuations can really affect how you're feeling and make you feel irritable, tired and down."