If you’ve been feeling particularly down lately, and you’re not sure what the cause is, then there is a possibility that these feelings could be linked to what you’ve been eating. There are a lot of foods which are not good for your body, but not all of them send you into a downward spiral, however, below are a few that will.

Processed sugar can have a terrible effect on your mood, not to mention your health. According to Eat This, Not That, a study of postmenopausal women found that women whose diets were higher in sugars were more likely to feel depressed.

Artificial sweeteners should also be avoided. According to PsychCentral, the reason for this is because, in particular, aspartame, reportedly blocks the production of serotonin, and this then affects the mood. They also note that other artificial sweeteners could have the same effect, and even refined sugar is better than the fake kind.

High sodium foods. Eating foods that have a high sodium content can reportedly disrupt your neurological system. Plus it can cause bloating by retaining water.

Junk food is another type of food that could lead to depression, the reason is that while it may be convenient, it is very seldom nutritious (nutrients reportedly help to balance the brain chemicals), and is packed with calories.

According to Cheat Sheet, trans fat can also affect how you feel, because the main source of artificial trans fats (which are often found in fried food) is partially hydrogenated oils. A much healthier alternative when cooking would be with olive oil.

While alcohol is not so much a food, it is something many of us tend to ingest without a second thought. However, alcohol is a central nervous system depressant, and it can harm your brain.

And according to Health, a lack of fish in your diet could also cause depression. Omega 3 fatty acids regulate neurotransmitters like serotonin, thus if women (not men) are not getting enough omega 3 in their diet, according to a 2004 Finnish study, it could result in depression.

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