Mental health foods: what are phytonutrients and do they support brain function?

Source: Mental health foods: what are phytonutrients and do they support brain function?

But if you’re eating for your sanity, don’t overlook the benefits of plants. Not only because they contain the important fiber, but also because of their phytonutrients.

“‘Phyto’ means ‘plant’, so these are compounds found only in plant-based foods,” explains James Vickers, a registered nutritionist at Vitality. “This includes compounds like carotenoids, polyphenols, resveratrol and isothiocyanates found in fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains and tea.”

What are the benefits of phytonutrients for the brain?

“Phytonutrients have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that can reduce free radicals — unstable atoms that can damage cells and cause disease and aging,” explains Vickers.

When it comes to brain health, their benefits lie in how they affect the gut-brain axis. In a 2020 review, researchers found that olive oil and other high-fat foods in particular have anti-inflammatory effects due to their high polyphenol content, which prevents gut microbes from making compounds that damage blood vessels.

The researchers concluded that these compounds are “brain food” due to their long-term cognitive benefits.

Other studies show more immediate brain health benefits from consuming phytonutrients. In a 2014 study, those who ate olive oil and walnuts had significant improvements in their memory and cognition. However, there’s no telling if this was due to the high-fat nature of these foods — crucial for supporting brain function — or if it was due to the phytonutrients themselves.

“While there is not yet conclusive evidence that phytonutrients support mental health, this will be more researched in the years to come, and there are many other benefits of phytonutrients for overall health,” says Vickers.

And it’s probably no coincidence that a 2016 study of 12,385 Australian adults over 24 months found that increasing fruit and vegetable intake was positively associated with happiness, life satisfaction and well-being, to the extent that improvements in the same extent as were the psychological effects of transition from unemployment to work.

In a study of 60,404 people just a year later, fruit and vegetable consumption was again associated with a lower prevalence of mental distress.

And in a 2019 review from the Journal of Nutrition and Metabolismthe researchers suggested that these two studies prove that phytonutrients have a diverse and potent effect on the body.

How to eat more phytonutrients

Variety is the be-all and end-all when it comes to fruit and vegetables. Eating a wide variety is key to getting all the different types of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. But don’t just eat your veggies — the same Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism paper explains that the plant chemicals are strongest in the color. “Colorful pigment…typically corresponds to a phytonutrient or phytonutrient category,” researchers write.

They say orange foods like carrots are typically sources of beta-carotene; Greens are full of chlorophyll; and purple foods like eggplant and blueberries are packed with flavonoids. For mental health, the latter group is associated with the strongest effects — grapes have been shown to modulate brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which supports neural plasticity. Meanwhile, blueberries have proven to be one of the most effective ways to improve focus due to their flavonoid content.

“That doesn’t mean you have to eat these foods alone or in bulk by snacking on handfuls of spinach or whole punnets of grapes. Instead, just try to increase the amount of these foods by introducing them as a supplement to your meals, rather than drastically changing your diet,” Vickers explains.

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