Your Brain On Food

May is National Mental Health Awareness month. The Covid 19 global pandemic had a huge impact on many peoples mental health, and there are a variety of things we can to to improve our mood. As important as exercise, quality sleep and social connection are, food and nutrition are vital to mood and overall mental health. The foods we eat can have a significant impact on levels of anxiety and depression. A newer area of study called nutritional psychiatry investigate how the foods we eat impact mood. A study published in the journal BMJ showed that diets such as the Mediterranean Diet are associated with better mental health than the typical western Diet. SO what should you eat more of and what should you avoid?

Foods to reduce/eliminate:

• Reduce processed and ultra processed foods from your diet. examples include chips, sweetened breakfast cereal and frozen pizza.
• Eliminate artificial sweeteners, such as aspertame, sucralose, saccharine and xylitol.
• Limit the amount of sugar you intake. The maximim intake per day is 6 teaspoons for women and 8 teaspoons for men. 1 regular size soda tends to have more than 8 teaspoons of sugar.
• Eat your fruits and vegetables, do not juice them.
• Do not consume white refined carbohydrates. They lead to increased risk of diabetes and obesity. Make all your grains whole. Examples of white refined carbohydrates include white bread, white rice and white flour
• Reduce saturated fat intake and eliminate trans fat from your diet. Saturated fat should not be more than 10% of your total daily calories. Examples of saturated fat include butter, bacon and full fat dairy.

Foods to increase:

• Make sure you have at least 8-11 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. A serving of vegetables is 1 cup raw or 1/2 cup cooked and fruit is one small handfruit or 1/2 cup cut. Vary color and variety.
• Have whole grains in portion. Examples of whole grains include 100% whole wheat, rye, barley, quinoa, and bulgar.
• Reduce red meat and poultry. Focus on fish, shellfish and plant proteins such as soy, beans and legumes.
• Consume enough fiber. Women should have between 21-26 grams of fiber a day and men should consume 36 grams of fiber a day. Try to avoid gummy fiber supplements.
• Increase high Omega 3 fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, sardines and mackeral.
• Reduce alcohol intake and avoid beverages with added calories.
• Eat that dark chocolate!phytochemicals found in dark chocolate can improve mood. Make sure it is 70% dark or higher. A serving is 1 ounce.
• Incorporate fermented food into your diet to assist with gut health. Examples of fermented foods include saurkraut, kefir, yogurt and kimchi.
• Add healthy fats into your diet such as olive oil, nuts, seeds and avocado. Remember to pay attention to portions, as fats are calorically dense.
• Make sure you are well hydrated. the goal is to have 48-64 ounces of water a day.

Food plays a significant role in not only overall health, but mental health as well. Reach out to your RD for a mood boosting diet. If you are struggling with mental health and food may not be enough to support you, reach out to a therapist. Mental health is key to overall health and wellness.

Eat Your Greens!

We know how important vegetables are for overall health. They provide minerals, vitamins, antioxidants and fiber. A new study published in the The ISME Journal, found that the monosaccharide sugar, sulfoquinovose, a sulfonic acid derivitave of glucose, works with a bacteria in the gut to produce hydrogen sulfide. In low doses, hydrogen sulfide in the intestinal lining has an anti-inflammatory effect. In very large doses, found in high meat diets, it can have a negative effect. This study utilized  human fecal microcosms and mono- and co-cultures to determine the effects on the bacteria and sulfoquinovose in our gut lining and evidence for their importance for the microbial processes in the gut. They were able to show that ” the use sulfoquinovose to promote the growth of very specific gut bacteria that are an important component of our gut microbiome. We now also know that these bacteria in turn produce the contradictory hydrogen sulfide from it”. They were also able to show that sulfoquinovose “is an exclusive substrate for only a few gut microorganisms, particularly the abundant E. rectale. The concept of exclusive nutrient access promises sulfoquinovose dosage-dependent control over the abundances and activities of these bacteria that are generally associated with a positive impact on human health.”. This also means that sulfoquinovose may be able to be used as a dose dependant prebiotic. Prebiotics are compounds found in foods that promote the beneficial activity of microorganisms which can improve the microbiome. This study primarily focused on spinach, dark leafy greens, algae and green onions.

Our microbiome is vitally important to our overall health by controlling digestion and immune function. Eating a more plant based diet, has been shown to improve general gut and heart health, so make sure to eat some greens every day!

 

 

Recipe Summary

Total: 1 hr

Servings: 6

Ingredients

 

Peppers

• 3 medium red bell peppers
   
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
   
• ¼ teaspoon salt
   
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
   

Filling

• 8 ounces kale, (6 cups lightly packed), trimmed 
   
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
   
• 1 medium onion, chopped
   
• ½ cup chopped red bell pepper 
   
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
   
• 3/4 cup cooked short-grain brown rice, (see Tip)
   
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 
   
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts, divided (see Tip)
   
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
   
• ¼ teaspoon salt
   
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
   

 

Directions

Instructions Checklist

• Step 1

  To prepare peppers: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Halve peppers lengthwise through the stems, leaving them attached. Remove the seeds. Lightly brush the peppers outside and inside with oil; sprinkle the insides with salt and pepper. Place, cut-side down, in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Bake until peppers are just tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool slightly. Turn cut-side up.

• Step 2

  To prepare filling: Bring 2 cups salted water to a boil in a large wide pan. Stir in kale, cover and cook until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water; squeeze dry. Finely chop.

• Step 3

  Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and chopped bell pepper; cook, stirring often, until onion is golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Stir in the kale. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Stir in rice, Parmesan, 2 tablespoons pine nuts and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Divide the filling among the pepper halves. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons pine nuts.

• Step 4

  Add 2 tablespoons water to the baking dish. Cover the peppers with foil and bake until heated through, 15 to 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for 5 minutes more. Serve hot.

Tips

Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through step 3, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Tips: To cook brown rice: Place 1 cup brown rice, 21/2 cups water and a pinch of salt, if desired, in a medium saucepan; bring to a simmer. Cover; cook over low heat until rice is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed, 45 to 50 minutes. Makes 3 cups.

To toast pine nuts: Heat a small dry skillet over medium-low heat. Add pine nuts and cook, stirring constantly, until golden and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. (Or spread in a small baking pan and bake at 400°F for about 5 minutes.)

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving:

 

176 calories; protein 5g; carbohydrates 16.2g; dietary fiber 3.2g; sugars 4.4g; fat 10.8g; saturated fat 2g; cholesterol 5.7mg; vitamin a iu 7725IU; vitamin c 110.8mg; folate 45.5mcg; calcium 100.2mg; iron 1.2mg; magnesium 45.1mg; potassium 340.5mg; sodium 327.4mg; thiamin 0.1mg.