Top 5 benefits of healthy eating for mental wellbeing

Improved ability to focus

If you want to sharpen your memory and brain power, almonds are a popular choice. Broccoli is also great for memory apart from its various other health-boosting benefits. Avocado, which is a popular food in many countries now, is excellent for cognitive functions like learning, memory, decision making and reasoning. Also, it can come as a revelation that eggplant or aubergine is great for healthy brain cells and messenger molecules.

It is well known that fruits, vegetables and dry fruits nourish the brain and increase alertness and our focus. This also means that we can perform our work or handle chores at home with increased productivity.

Easing out depression and anxiety

Processed and off-the-shelf foods generally contain preservatives. They also contain food colours and other additives that cause or worsen hyperactivity or feelings of anxiety and depression.

On the other hand, fresh fruits and vegetables come in surprisingly beautiful variety of colours. The nutrients present in these rainbow foods have tremendous benefits for the mind and body. A smooth physical and psychological functioning of the body requires sufficient quantities of vitamins and minerals found in these.

Remember this when you want to snack on junk food next time – a colourful and healthy diet helps your body extract appropriate nutrients that keep our chemicals and hormones functioning well and us happy.

Boosts self-esteem

When you eat healthy, feel better and fit, it gives a major boost to your self-esteem as well. And self-esteem is directly related to having a positive body image.

Eating healthy reflects on your weight, skin and general appearance. Shirley W Kaplan from the American Nutrition Association emphasizes on how the human mind and body are one entity itself. With healthy eating comes the smooth functioning of our body and brain and that in turn, fills us with a sense of overall wellness.

Healthy eating and an active you

Healthy eating makes one feel more active and energetic. A timely balanced meal fuels the body for long and adequate work spells.

When you are active, you will find that you can accomplish more physically. Apart from the increased productivity, you will also feel the urge to remain in a momentum. The production of neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin or the happy hormones also increase when you do so, and this cycle makes you feel better, energetic, cheerful and upbeat.

Note that eating healthy is not only for your body. It is equally rewarding for your mental health. For instance, you may have always known that snacking on walnuts is a healthy option but may not have been aware that it increases mental alertness too. So a well balanced healthy eating pattern takes you on a fulfilling journey of good health that is a mix of physical and mental wellbeing.