The best foods for your mental health when you’re feeling mentally unwell

Ivory Lira, RDN - Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

Choosing the best foods for mental health can be challenging, especially when you are feeling mentally unwell. Keeping healthy, good-mood foods on hand can make it easier to make a nutritious choice when feeling unwell.

Choosing the best foods for mental health makes a difference

Nutrition plays a vital role in supporting mental health. What and how you eat can have both positive and negative effects on mental health, and your mental health can have an impact on what and how you eat. Eating a balanced diet provides the brain and body with the nutrients needed to function at their best. For some people, even despite following the best nutrition plan and eating the healthiest foods, mental health and well-being may be a challenge. A plan that includes nutritious pantry staples that contribute to improved moods and mental health makes choices more manageable when you're not feeling your best.

Diet and mental health

Antioxidants: Found in brightly colored foods and dark leafy greens, antioxidants fight inflammation and support physical and mental health. Different colors contain different antioxidants, so try to eat the colors of the rainbow throughout the day and week.
Folate: A type of B-vitamin used to make dopamine, a chemical messenger in the brain that helps regulate mood. Good dietary sources of folate include asparagus, broccoli, leafy greens, fruits, and lentils.
Fiber: Slows the digestion of carbohydrates and helps to reduce blood sugar spikes and crashes. Vegetables, beans, lentils, and whole grains are all great sources of fiber.
Vitamin D: Used in the making of serotonin, also known as the “feel good” neurotransmitter, vitamin D helps regulate mood, happiness, and well-being. Good sources include fatty fish (like salmon, tuna, mackerel, and trout), fortified dairy products, as well as many milk alternatives, and sun exposure.
Magnesium: Reduced levels of magnesium can add to symptoms of anxiety and depression. Good sources of magnesium include chia seeds, almonds, peanuts, edamame, bananas, and beans.
Water: Proper hydration helps the brain to work correctly and improves mood and energy levels. Dehydration makes it harder to concentrate and think clearly.

How to include the best foods for mental health

It is normal to feel like healthy eating tips and strategies are less helpful or difficult to achieve when feeling unwell. Use these tips to simplify the process:

Eat on a regular schedule. Remembering to eat or having an appetite can be challenging when feeling unwell. Setting alarms or timers to remember to eat can help prevent you from going too long without eating and having low blood sugar. Low blood sugar, or lower than usual, can cause tiredness, irritability, and a depressed mood. Eating regularly helps to prevent spikes and crashes.
Include fruits and veggies. Thoroughly prepping fresh produce may feel like too much; however, keeping bags of frozen fruits and veggies will suffice, making you more likely to choose them. Add a handful of frozen veggies to a frozen meal as it heats to quickly increase the nutrition profile.
Include protein with meals and snacks. Keeping hard-boiled eggs, canned fish or chicken, nuts or nut butter, and canned beans stocked makes including protein easier.
Limit caffeine. It may feel like a good way to boost energy, but the stimulant effect of caffeine may increase anxiety and disrupt sleep. Having a little bit can be okay, but stop drinking caffeine early in the day.
Stay hydrated. Keep a water bottle close and set a timer to remember to drink.

Simple meal ideas

Add canned chicken or beans and a handful of frozen veggies to low-sodium canned soup for a more complete, balanced meal.
Buy a rotisserie chicken and add some to a pre-made salad mix.

Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches sound like comfort food, but they provide a good source of protein and brain-healthy fats. Use low-sugar jelly and whole-grain bread to avoid blood sugar spikes and crashes.
Make pasta with a low-sugar jar of sauce. Add canned or rotisserie chicken and some frozen veggies for a complete meal.
Have breakfast for dinner. Cook up eggs and whole-grain toast. Add some frozen veggies for a significant nutrition boost.
Be okay with accepting help from others.

It may be more challenging to manage the best and healthiest foods and meals when feeling off with mental health. You may wish to rely more on nutritious convenience foods until you start feeling better. Planning in advance when you are feeling well can ensure you have easy, nutritious foods ready for those tough days.