Food for thought: Fat’s not all bad

With food and survival being inextricably linked, it is an unquestionable fact that the food we eat affects our bodies. Today, internet influencers laud healthy eating while associating it with a healthy body, but only a few of them mention the relationship between healthy eating and a healthy mind. Generally, proteins, fruits, and vegetables are considered as healthy food whereas fats typically rank low in the order of importance.

However, each of these food groups promotes mental health in its own way. There exists an intimate relationship between our emotional state and food intake.

To understand how a food group affects the body and mind, we need to understand the gut-brain axis (GBA). Working in a bi-directional manner, the GBA establishes a connection between the brain and the intestines wherein the central nervous system, enteric nervous system, and hypothalamic-pituitary axis work in tandem for a healthy mind and body.

An easier way to understand this is to look at how certain foods affect your body and mood. For example, foods that tend to give you an irritable bowel may also be affecting your subsequent mood by making you feel stressed.

Researchers have been able to note that this stress can lead to increased gut permeability, thereby leaving it open to antigens. As a result, an abnormal relationship between the gut microbiome and the gut-brain axis can cause both psychological and physiological problems, emphasising the importance of eating healthy foods to maintain a healthy gut microbiome.

One way to improve the gut microbiome is to consume fruits and vegetables. This has been supported by researchers who were able to find that such consumption led to an improvement in general wellbeing and a decrease in depressive symptoms among respondents. For example, Vitamin C, found in fruits and vegetables, aids in the conversion of dopamine to noradrenaline, a neurotransmitter that aids in mediating stressful responses in the
body in addition to being an antioxidant.

In regard to protein, the first thing to keep in mind is the production of amino acids—molecules that combine to form proteins—that can be deemed a building block of the human body. This helps us understand its importance in physiology, but it was discovered that L-Tyrosine, which is produced by the breakdown of proteins found in chickens, aids in the production of dopamine, which helps improve mood.

While the formation of serotonin and dopamine helps improve mood, a decrease has been noted to markedly cause depressive symptoms and stress in humans. In many countries, including India, low protein quality in daily nutrition consumption is commonly noticed. However, the importance of a protein-filled diet comprised of pulses, meats, and soy cannot be overemphasised. While other food groups provide the nutrients, fats help absorb vitamins such as vitamin A, D, and E, which are necessary for human functioning.

In addition to this, as part of a healthy diet, one should mainly consume foods such as fish, walnuts, and flax seeds that are high in unsaturated fats as compared to foods such as pizza, cookies, and fatty meat that contain high levels of saturated fats. Considering the fact that the human brain is made up of 60% fat, fat consumption is not an unnecessary component of a diet. In fact, there are research studies suggesting that ‘fat-rich’ comfort foodsmay actually alter the brain’s response to sadness and elevate mood. And as fats cannot be synthesised by the human body in general, consuming them has been linked to brain development and neurotransmitter creation.

As per the World Health Organisation, 1 in 20 Indians suffer from depression, and improved nutrition can be assumed to play a role in helping reduce depressive symptoms. Though the above-mentioned paragraphs outline the potential problems that can arise due to a lack of proper nutrient intake, moderation and the supervision of a qualified practitioner must also be considered before attempting to self-medicate through food.

(Liz George is a student and Moitrayee Das is an assistant professor of psychology, at FLAME University, Pune)