Mood on a Plate

16 Aug 2025

Source: https://www.freepik.com/

Have you ever noticed how your mood changes depending on what you eat? Maybe you feel calm after eating salmon or a little irritable after consuming a lot of sugar. Or maybe after a long stressful day, you find comfort in a snack like dark chocolate. It’s not because you’re hungry but because it just makes you feel better.

Many of us eat not just to fill our stomachs, but also to deal with our emotions. This is often referred to as “emotional eating”. Whether it’s due to stress, sadness, anxiety, or even boredom, food has a hidden way of becoming our emotional support system.

But what if food could do more than just comfort us? What if the right foods could boost your mood, increase your focus, and help you feel better in the long term?  

In this article, we’ll explore how food and mood are closely linked and how choosing what’s on your plate can help you feel good both physically and mentally. 

Food and Mood: How Nutrition Shapes Emotional Well-being

The connection between food and mood has increasingly become a subject of interest in both scientific and public health discourse. While food is primarily recognized as a biological necessity, emerging evidence shows it also functions as a powerful regulator of mental and emotional states. Drawing upon insights from Mass General Brigham and the “Mood on a Plate” document, it becomes clear that dietary patterns can either exacerbate or emotional imbalances.

1. Emotional Eating vs. Nutritional Eating

Emotional eating occurs when individuals use food to cope with psychological discomfort rather than physiological hunger. This behavior often leads to the consumption of calorie-dense, highly processed foods high in sugar, salt, or unhealthy fats. According to Healthline (2023), this kind of eating can result in short-term comfort but long-term emotional decline, such as guilt, irritability, or low energy. This aligns with the example in Mood on a Plate, where choosing fast food during stress leads to initial pleasure but eventual fatigue and emotional crash.

2. The Physiological Pathways: Gut-Brain Axis and Neurochemistry

Numerous studies, such as Cryan & Dinan (2012), have explored how the gut-brain axis mediates the impact of diet on mood. The gut microbiome the diverse ecosystem of microorganisms in our digestive tract directly communicates with the brain via neural, immune, and endocrine pathways. An imbalanced microbiome caused by poor diet has been linked to mood disorders including depression and anxiety.

Moreover, certain foods promote the synthesis of neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, which regulate mood and cognition. For example, bananas and oats contain tryptophan, a precursor to serotonin, often called the “feel-good” neurotransmitter. Consuming whole foods like nuts, leafy greens, and dark chocolate can help stabilize mood by supporting neurotransmitter function and reducing inflammation.

3. Inflammation and Mood Disorders

A 2019 study published in Molecular Psychiatry found that diets high in pro-inflammatory foods (e.g., fast food, refined carbs) are associated with an increased risk of depressive symptoms. Chronic low-grade inflammation disrupts the brain’s chemical balance and neural connectivity, which is crucial for emotional regulation.

4. Strategic Choices for Mental Wellness

As emphasized in both the article and supporting document, mindful eating practices such as pausing before eating to identify emotional triggers can reduce harmful eating habits. Planning with healthy snacks and consuming anti-inflammatory, nutrient-dense foods (such as those found in a Mediterranean diet) are proven strategies for enhancing emotional resilience.

Food is more than sustenance. It is a biochemical communicator with our brain and emotions. By making conscious dietary decisions, we have the potential not only to nourish our bodies but to stabilize our moods, reduce psychological distress, and enhance overall well-being.

The Impact of Emotional Eating in Daily Life

However, in our daily lives, not all of our food choices are based on nutritional needs. Many of us eat not because we’re hungry, but because we feel stressed, lonely, angry, or even bored. This is known as emotional eating a condition where food is used as an escape from difficult emotions.

The problem is, the types of food we usually choose during emotional stress are often not the healthiest. We tend to reach for foods high in sugar, salt, or fat like chips, sweet pastries, or fast food because they offer instant comfort. But that comfort is often short-lived. Afterward, we may end up feeling worse both physically and emotionally.

For example, there are two sides to eating based on emotion versus eating for mental health. On the first side, imagine you’ve had a stressful day at work. You come home feeling exhausted and in need of something to lift your mood. You choose fast food, ice cream, or sugary drinks. It feels good for a moment, but then you start feeling sluggish, drained, and maybe even guilty.

On the second side, you’ve had an equally tough day. But this time, you choose a warm bowl of oatmeal with banana slices and nuts. This food might not give you the same instant euphoria as sugar, but you feel more stable, calm, and able to think more clearly.

From these two situations, it’s clear how the food we choose can either worsen or improve our mood. And of course, there’s also a comparison between foods and their impact on mood for instance, foods that contain sugar and refined carbohydrates (such as pastries, soda, and fast food) may offer short-term comfort and energy, but in the long term, they can lead to mood swings, fatigue, and an increased risk of depression.

Small Steps, Big Change

Given these effects, it’s important to be more intentional about the foods we eat especially during stressful or emotional moments. So, how can we make better food choices that not only satisfy our cravings but also support our mental well-being?

One way is to pause and check in with ourselves before eating. Ask: Am I truly hungry, or just feeling stressed or bored? A simple moment of awareness can shift how we respond.

Choosing mood-supporting foods, like greens, whole grains, nuts, or dark chocolate, can help improve how we feel. These foods give our brain and body what they need to stay balanced. It also helps to plan ahead. Having quick, healthy snacks ready can prevent emotional snacking when things get tough. Beyond food, make sure to get enough sleep, stay hydrated, and give yourself grace. You don’t need to give up your favorite comfort foods entirely. Just enjoy them mindfully and in balance.

In the end, food is more than just fuel. It connects to how we feel. With small, conscious steps, we can build a healthier and kinder relationship with what’s on our plate and with ourselves.

So next time you reach for something to eat, pause for a moment. Ask yourself what your body and your mind really need. It’s not about being perfect. It’s about being kind to yourself, one small choice at a time.

Reference:

Kelompok 17 CP H&E - MLG 25'26