Depression is a mental disorder that affects how a person thinks, behaves, acts, and reacts. A person who suffers from depression can have a variety of physical as well as emotional problems. So they may find it hard to perform their daily activities. Depression is not the regular bout of blues but a serious mental illness. Therefore a person cannot just snap out of condition to feel well again.

Eating healthy food is the best way to battle depression. Or more so prevent it. Several studies have found that eating healthy and nutritious food will help in being mentally healthy. Therefore, here know about the link between depression and nutrition.

1. Carbohydrate-rich foods for increasing serotonin levels
If a person continuously eats a low carbohydrate diet, it may make them susceptible to depression. Carbohydrates are an important type of nutrition that increases insulin levels in the body. Only by eating such nutritious food can the brain secrete the feel-good hormones known as serotonin. If these hormones do not secrete properly, then it can make a person feel unhappy and depressed. That is why foods rich in carbohydrates are important to battle depression. In this way, nutrition is associated with depression.

2. Vitamins for improving the mood
The benefits of vitamins such as B-Complex, vitamin B12, and folate prove the connection between nutrition and depression. According to the studies, these vitamins are known to improve mood. Also, it is known to develop cognitive performance. Most importantly, the people experiencing depression have low levels of folate. So it is necessary to intake food rich in these minerals.

3. Proteins for good mental health
Proteins contain amino acids. Twelve amino acids are present in the body itself, but eight amino acids are available in healthy diets. A protein-based diet will have all the essential amino acids. Some of the foods rich in proteins are dairy, eggs, milk, meats, and others. When a person eats protein-rich food, then it will help their brain to function well. That is why protein-based foods offer nutrition that can effectively help a person to avoid depression.

4. Minerals for healthy brain function
The minerals such as calcium, chromium, iron, and iodine offer beneficial nutrition to the brain. These play a significant role in helping a person to avoid the symptoms of depression. For instance, according to research, the mineral chromium was less in people with depression. Further, the mineral iron helps in oxygenation and also offers energy to the cerebral parenchyma. Iron deficiency in people can lead to disturbance in cognitive development. Additionally, fatigue and depression are the results of a lack of iron in the body. So it makes the relation between nutrition and depression clear.

5. Fatty acids for increasing brain ability
The brain of the people experiencing depression will slowly start to age. It means that their brain ability can slow down. That is why the fatty acids are essential because it helps the brain to function at its best. The essential fatty acids determine the intellectual abilities of the brain. Therefore through the levels of fatty acids in the brain, nutrition and depression are intricately associated.