# Struggles and Support > Nutrition, Supplements and Exercise >  >  "How food affects mood and mood affects food" by Kate Flinders

## Anxiety Space

_"How food affects mood and mood affects food" by Kate Flinders is licensed under CC BY-ND 4.0_





> Eating good food promotes overall health and well-being, but what you eat may also impact how you feel. Research suggests that not only can the food you eat affect your mood, but that your mood may influence the foods you choose to consume.
> 
> Enjoying a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, wholegrain cereals, legumes, low-fat dairy, lean meat and oily fish, for instance, is associated with reductions in mood swings, depression and anxiety.
> 
> And the opposite holds for a diet based on foods high in refined sugar (think lollies), one that combines high levels of sugar and fat (cakes, for instance, or pastries), or involves high intakes of caffeine or alcohol.
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> *Highs and lows*
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> Basically, the nutrients found in healthy foods appear to work together to cause the brain to produce the "feel-good hormone" serotonin, which is associated with improved mood and feelings of relaxation.
> ...

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## kc1895

Thanks for this article!  When I was trying to eat healthy for a period of time, I limited myself to low carbs, high protein, and no sugar.  Over time, I started to feel depressed from eating all the tasteless healthy food which become a daily chore for me.  While people around me indulged in burgers and fast food, I felt imprisoned with my restricted diet.  It did not make me feel good at all.

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## Chantellabella

I have to agree with that. I've had dairy now for a week and have not kept rigidly to my raw fruits, vegies, and proteins. My blood pressure is up, I feel sluggish and headache-y which causes me to be apathetic and depressed. 

So yeah, I believe food plays a part in emotions.

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