#cancelcarbs? I'm confident that if you are reading this paper, you have consumed or are consuming carbohydrates daily, so does this mean that you are increasing your rates of depression with each spoonful of rice? Sadly, that may be the case.
Most of us know of the positive effects that fruits and vegetables have on our health, but you may not know that they also affect us mentally. This is because they are an excellent source of naturally intaking vitamins and minerals, including folate, vitamin C, and potassium, all of which are necessary to maintain a strong and healthy body. On top of that, researchers found that fruits also contain antioxidants that protect the brain, making it a no-brainer when they discovered that consumption of these reduced anxiety and depression.
This led to the assumption that carbohydrates would have a similar effect. Carbohydrates are the primary source of energy for the body. Not only do carbs keep you full, but they also aid in digestion and regulating your cholesterol levels. This prior knowledge made researchers believe that, like fruits and vegetables, carbohydrates would relieve mental distress since consumption promotes the release of serotonin, also known as the "happy hormone." It is as if you were to remember a happy memory from your childhood. However, what the researchers found was actually a negative correlation.
"A diet high in refined carbohydrates, as well as fats, leads to high overall levels of inflammation in the body," was quoted by Daniel Devine, MD. The increase in overall levels of inflammation is the body's immune system's response to fight an irritant such as germs or foreign objects by releasing white blood cells. This would be fine if it were protecting you. However, if this inflammation were to be activated without anything to fight, the white blood cells would end up fighting the healthy cells in your body, also affecting the central nervous system, which can affect your mood and lead to greater anxiety levels.
So does this mean you should never eat carbs again? Of course not. The adverse effects are mostly found with significant or frequent consumption of "unhealthy" carbs. Some examples are refined carbohydrates, including polished rice and flour, sugar-sweetened beverages such as sodas and juices, and highly processed snacks like cookies and pastries. Instead, we should be consuming "healthy" carbs. Some of these include fruits such as bananas and apples, non-starchy vegetables like spinach or carrots, whole grains which include brown rice and whole grain flour, peas and beans, and dairy and its products such as low-fat milk and yogurt.
Ultimately, we cannot entirely disregard carbohydrates from our diet since they have many benefits. However, what we can do instead is make conscious and intentional choices on which carbohydrates we decide to consume to reduce the risks and maximize the benefits. It is essential that we do our best to eat the right foods not only to be healthy physically but also mentally. Eat for your brain, to power it, and to empower it.
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