10 nutrition hacks to boost your mood and mental health
Discover ten science-based nutrition hacks to improve your mental health. Learn how vitamin D, iron, omega-3s, and more can help boost your mood naturally.
Struggling with your mental health? Your nutrition could have more influence than you think. Our bodies and brains rely on hundreds of chemical reactions, and lacking essential minerals or vitamins can lead to low mood, anxiety, or depression.
The first step to feeling better, both physically and mentally, could be through small changes in your nutrition.
This article contains ten mood-boosting tips:
- Make sure you get enough vitamin D
- Keep an eye on your iron levels
- Check your B vitamin levels
- Consider magnesium for mood support
- Measure your omega ratio
- Start your day with a protein kick
- Eat a rainbow
- Focus on natural sugars
- Keep hydrated
- Start small, get big results
1. Make sure you get enough vitamin D
If you live in the UK, chances are you have low vitamin D levels. Vitamin D deficiency and depression symptoms are very similar, including brain fog, irritability, low mood, and tiredness.
Your brain has Vitamin D receptors in the same areas responsible for mood regulation. While upping your vitamin D may not directly alter your brain chemistry, alleviating the symptoms of a deficiency can go a long way to improving your well-being [1,2].
Top tip: Although you can’t get all your vitamin D from food, eating a couple of portions of oily fish (like salmon or mackerel), or egg yolks each week can give you a boost.
2. Keep an eye on your iron levels
Iron isn't just for making red blood cells, it's also involved in several reactions that make neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin – a.k.a. the “happiness molecules” [3]. If you’re iron deficient, you might slow the production of these mood-regulating molecules, leading to low mood, brain fog, and depression.
Luckily, it’s usually pretty simple to up your iron levels. Focus on iron-rich foods like lentils and beans, red meats, and leafy greens. If you’re struggling, a supplement might help. But it can be dangerous to have too much iron in your system, so check you actually need it first with an Iron Blood Test.
Top tip: Try a squeeze of lemon in your water with meals or take your supplements with a glass of orange juice, as the vitamin C aids iron absorption.
3. Check your B vitamin levels
There are eight B vitamins in total, and you need good levels of all of them for efficient cellular metabolism, energy production, and red blood cell synthesis. Deficiencies in thiamine (B1), cobalamin (B12) in particular, can lead to feelings of tiredness and depression.
Top tip: B vitamins are mostly found in meat and dairy, but plant-based sources include tofu, fortified milk, and yeast extracts.
4. Consider magnesium for mood support
Research suggests the health benefits of magnesium may include mood regulation and reduced depression and anxiety. Many people who experience depression and anxiety have been found to have a magnesium deficiency.
But even if you aren’t deficient, some studies suggest having above-optimal levels of magnesium can contribute to a better wellbeing.
Top tip: Many swear by a nighttime magnesium drink or supplement, while others take theirs in the morning to give them calm throughout the day. If you want to check if you have a magnesium deficiency, a simple Magnesium (Serum) Blood Test could help.
5. Measure your omega ratio
Not only can healthy omega-3 levels help you live longer, but research shows they may have an antidepressive effect [4]. Omega-3 fats are mostly found in oily fish, but you can find them in other foods such as chia seeds and flax seeds. Aim for two portions a week.
Top tip: If you think you need to supplement, and you’re vegetarian or vegan fear not. Omega-3 in fish actually comes from the algae the fish eat, so try an algae-based supplement.
6. Start your day with a protein kick
Why is protein good for mental health? Well, some of the amino acids that make up protein – namely tryptophan, tyrosine, histidine, and arginine – are what our bodies use to build feel-good neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine [5].
By having a protein-rich meal to start your day, you’re supplying your brain with all the fuel it needs to calm the nervous system and reduce anxiety, while potentially improving your cognitive performance.
The good news? You don’t need to splash out on expensive high-protein powders or drinks. Instead, aim to eat complete proteins – that is, foods that contain all nine essential amino acids. Complete protein sources include chia seeds, tofu, soybeans, quinoa, eggs, pork, tuna, and turkey.
Top tip: Some low effort, complete protein breakfast ideas include scrambled eggs or scrambled tofu on toast, or chia seed pudding (add banana for a magnesium boost).
7. Eat a rainbow
Getting a full range of nutrients and vitamins is the best way fuel your body and support your mental health. The simplest way to achieve this? Try and eat fruits and vegetables every colour of the rainbow.
Each colour represents different nutrients, antioxidants and phytochemicals that are involved in brain function and mood regulation. If you’re looking to check the nutrient levels of what we’ve seen so far, our Advanced Diet and Lifestyle with Omega 3 and 6 Blood Test can provide valuable insights into your health.
Top tip: Chillis and stir frys are a great way to get your rainbows in a one-pot meal.
8. Focus on natural sugars
Refined sugar has been linked to several mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, and mood swings.
Instead of refined sugar, choose natural sugars from fruit so you’re getting fibre and other nutrients. Your body absorbs the sugar at a slower rate, reducing blood sugar spikes that cause anxiety or depression afterwards.
Top tip: Try some sugary food swaps next time you need something sweet, and see if you notice a difference in your mood.
Gummy sweets → dried fruits like sultanas or raisins
Milk chocolate → dark chocolate
Ice cream → Greek yoghurt with frozen fruit
9. Keep hydrated
Water makes up around 70% of your body, including your brain, so you can see why hydration is important. Being dehydrated by only 1% can lead to low mood, lower concentration, and headaches
Aim for six to eight glasses of water, herbal teas, or mineral water per day.
Top tip: Set reminders on your phone or smartwatch, or get a two litre water bottle, and try to finish one every day.
10. Start small, get big results
It’s tempting to make lots of changes at once and start your new lifestyle with a bang. But you’re more likely to stick to new habits if you integrate them bit by bit into your life. And with nutrition, it’s not an instant effect.
Pick a small habit, like one less sweet snack a day or a magnesium-rich meal before bed, see how it goes, and once it’s engrained in your routine add a new habit.
Top tip: Keep track of the wins, no matter how small they seem. Those small wins will add up to big wins in the long run. Be kind to yourself, and know you’re moving in the right direction.
If you need support
Struggling with your mental health can feel lonely and debilitating. But there is always support for you. Confide in a close family member or friend, or reach out to a health professional who will be able to find the right help for you. Writing things down can help calm the mind.
If you need urgent help, you can find your local 24/7 crisis line on the NHS website.
Samaritans offer 24-hour listening support on 116 123 or if a phone call is too overwhelming, you can text SHOUT to 85258. Whatever you are going through, you don’t have to go through it alone.
References
- Wang R, Xu F, Xia X, Xiong A, Dai D, Ling Y, et al. The effect of vitamin D supplementation on primary depression: A meta-analysis. J Affect Disord. 2024;344: 653–661. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2023.10.021
- Kaviani M, Nikooyeh B, Zand H, Yaghmaei P, Neyestani TR. Effects of vitamin D supplementation on depression and some involved neurotransmitters. J Affect Disord. 2020;269: 28–35. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2020.03.029
- Dichtl S, Haschka D, Nairz M, Seifert M, Volani C, Lutz O, et al. Dopamine promotes cellular iron accumulation and oxidative stress responses in macrophages. Biochem Pharmacol. 2018;148: 193–201. doi:10.1016/j.bcp.2017.12.001
- Borsini A, Nicolaou A, Camacho-Muñoz D, Kendall AC, Di Benedetto MG, Giacobbe J, et al. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids protect against inflammation through production of LOX and CYP450 lipid mediators: relevance for major depression and for human hippocampal neurogenesis. Mol Psychiatry. 2021;26: 6773–6788. doi:10.1038/s41380-021-01160-8
- Kühn S, Düzel S, Colzato L, Norman K, Gallinat J, Brandmaier AM, et al. Food for thought: association between dietary tyrosine and cognitive performance in younger and older adults. Psychol Res. 2019;83: 1097–1106. doi:10.1007/s00426-017-0957-4
- Firth J, Gangwisch JE, Borsini A, Wootton RE, Mayer EA. Food and mood: how do diet and nutrition affect mental wellbeing? BMJ. 2020;369: m2382. doi:10.1136/bmj.m2382
Related tests
Gain valuable insights into the markers you can change through diet and lifestyle with our most advanced diet and lifestyle blood test, which includes an analysis of your omega fatty acids
- Results estimated in 23 working days
- 28 biomarkers
Venous collection
Select testDo you often feel tired, rundown, or struggle with muscle aches and pains? You may have vitamin D deficiency, especially if you spend little time outdoors, have darker skin, or are over 65 — all factors that can affect your ability to produce vitamin D
- Results estimated in 2 working days
- 1 biomarkers
Finger-prick or Venous collection
Select testGet detailed insights into your vitamin B12 levels, including active B12 markers, to understand the root causes of low energy, mood changes, and cognitive difficulties
- Results estimated in 3 working days
- 18 biomarkers
Venous collection
Select test