Does eating a piece of chocolate cake or a chocolate waffle make you happy? The most obvious answer is yes, but it might not be so. In fact, according to several investigations, there is a relationship between sugar and depression. A diet that contains high doses of this additive could be bad for your physical health, but also for your psychological one. Does sugar promote depression?
The relationship between sugar and depression
Have you ever stopped to think that food can greatly change your mood? Haven’t you been in a bad mood when you’ve been very hungry and there was nothing to eat nearby? There are few foods that affect the way you feel than sugar. Various studies have concluded that if you follow a diet high in sugar it could favor depression.
- A study published in Scientific Reports has ensured that diets high in sugar are related to the incidence of mental disorders and depression. After investigating the type of diet of a group, it was concluded that a reduction in sugar consumption could be associated with better psychological health.
- This project collected data from 8,000 adults over 22 years to find out if sugar consumption through food and drink is related to behavioral disorders. From time to time, the participants filled out surveys about their diet and their mental condition and, through this information, it was concluded that those men who took 67 grams of sugar per day, more or less twice the recommended, were 23% more likely to be diagnosed with clinical depression 5 years after the study began.
- Research published by the Anxiety and Depression of America association has analyzed how sugar consumption in different countries affects the prevalence of depression in countries such as France, Germany or the United States.
- Another project carried out at Columbia University Medical Center has identified which types of sugars are the most harmful to health and are those that abound in diets with a very high glycemic index, that is, those that contain many processed foods and drinks with sugars. added. This is because in these types of diets, sugars are absorbed much faster.
Sugar in the body
- The key in this whole thing is balance. You need to consume sugar to feel good, since your body requires its energy, but it is important to look at the amount and the source of it. You have to avoid refined sugar as much as possible, that is, the one you will find in sliced bread, pasta, sweets, etc. The best option is to stay with the one that fruits and vegetables provide, since it will help you maintain a richer diet.
- Sugar intake has increased in recent years due to sweets, sugary drinks and processed foods. And with this increase, diseases such as obesity, diabetes or depression. It is worth signing up for a slightly healthier diet.