lifestyle

Food Choices Can Also Impact Mental Health

Stanford neurobiologist Andrew Huberman has stated that dietary choices can significantly impact mental health. 

"The idea that our diet can influence our mood and mental well-being is not surprising," he remarked in an interview with Hindustan Times on Saturday. 

"However, recent scientific and clinical research has revealed a strong correlation between the consumption of processed foods and mental health disorders. Changes in mitochondria may serve as a link between these two factors," he explained. 

In a podcast with Harvard psychiatrist Chris Palmer on April 4, 2025, he noted that there is substantial evidence indicating that minimally processed foods are more beneficial for mental health compared to those that undergo extensive processing. 

"Of course, these findings are correlational. There are numerous lifestyle issues that may accompany the consumption of processed foods or the avoidance of such foods," he added. Dr. Palmer emphasized that a high intake of ultra-processed foods adversely affects both physical and mental health. 

He presented research involving over 300,000 individuals, which demonstrated a direct and linear relationship between the consumption of ultra-processed foods and poor mental health. 

"Among those who consume ultra-processed foods daily, several times a day, 58 percent reported experiencing poor mental health," he stated. 

He further noted that this issue was observed in only 18 percent of individuals who rarely or never consume ultra-processed foods, which are typically low in fiber and high in sugar, salt, and fat. 

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Tag: Andrew Huberman Food Choices Mental Health