How Food Affects Your Mood: A Therapist’s Guide

Integrating nutrition into emotional well-being, with compassion and intention

As a therapist practicing in Richmond, Virginia — and working with clients across the state — I often explore the ways our internal experiences are shaped not just by our relationships or thoughts, but by our physical habits and environments. One area that comes up more and more in my work is the connection between food and mood. It’s a topic close to my heart. Alongside my clinical training in psychodynamic therapy and mindfulness-based approaches, I also studied holistic nutrition at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York. That training expanded my view of how deeply interconnected the mind and body really are.

Understanding the food-mood connection

Emerging research in nutritional psychiatry continues to highlight how nutrition plays a meaningful role in mental health. A 2022 review in Nutrients found that dietary patterns high in processed foods and low in nutrient-dense ingredients are associated with increased rates of depression and anxiety.¹ Another study emphasized the bidirectional relationship between food and mood — that is, our mood can influence what we eat, and what we eat can influence our mood.²

These findings aren’t about prescribing a “perfect diet.” Rather, they point to the importance of nourishing ourselves in ways that support stability, clarity, and resilience — all essential elements of psychological health.

A few key ways food impacts mood

Here are some of the core pathways through which food influences our emotional and mental functioning:

1. The gut-brain connection

Our digestive system and brain are in constant communication, largely through the vagus nerve. In fact, the gut is sometimes called the “second brain.” A large portion of serotonin receptors — the neurotransmitter commonly associated with mood — are found in the gut.³ When our digestion is impaired or our gut microbiome is imbalanced, it can have significant effects on mood regulation, anxiety levels, and even cognition.

2. Blood sugar and emotional reactivity

Diets high in refined carbohydrates and added sugars can cause blood sugar fluctuations that lead to irritability, fatigue, anxiety, or difficulty concentrating. By contrast, meals balanced with complex carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats tend to support more even energy and emotional regulation.

3. Inflammation and mental health

Chronic inflammation, often driven by poor dietary habits, has been linked to symptoms of depression.⁴ Anti-inflammatory foods — such as leafy greens, fatty fish, berries, and olive oil — help reduce oxidative stress and support brain health.

4. Key nutrients for emotional resilience

Certain nutrients play a direct role in producing and regulating neurotransmitters. For example:

• Omega-3 fatty acids support brain structure and reduce inflammation.

• B vitamins, magnesium, and zinc are crucial for neurological functioning.

• Tryptophan, an amino acid found in foods like turkey, oats, and seeds, is a precursor to serotonin.

• Vitamin D is also being studied for its link to mood, especially in seasonal affective patterns.

  
  

These aren’t magic pills — but they are meaningful pieces of the bigger picture.

Therapy, mindfulness, and your relationship with food

In my practice, I work from both a psychodynamic and mindfulness-based perspective. That means I’m interested not just in the content of what we eat, but in the relationship we have with food, and how that connects to our emotional life.

Here are a few areas we might explore in therapy:

• Emotional eating patterns: Do you find yourself turning to food in moments of stress, loneliness, or fatigue? We can gently explore what those moments are communicating and how to meet those needs in other ways.

• Mindful eating: Tuning into your body’s hunger and fullness signals, noticing the sensory experience of eating, and slowing down — all of these can support emotional awareness and self-regulation.

• Food as metaphor: Often, our eating habits hold symbolic meaning. We might use food as comfort, punishment, control, or reward. Therapy can help uncover and gently rework those dynamics.

  
  

Rather than offering nutritional “rules,” I aim to help clients build a more compassionate and attuned relationship with food — one that reflects their needs, values, and lived experience.

Getting started: small, supportive shifts

If you're curious about how to begin integrating this work into your daily life, here are a few simple starting points:

• Add more color to your plate: A variety of vegetables, fruits, and whole foods support both physical and mental vitality.

• Stay hydrated: Even mild dehydration can affect focus, mood, and energy.

• Observe your patterns: Try keeping a brief food-and-mood journal for a week. Note how you feel before and after meals, both emotionally and physically.

• Practice gentle structure: Balanced meals at regular intervals can help stabilize energy and reduce emotional reactivity.

• Stay curious, not critical: If you notice emotional eating or unhelpful patterns, approach them with self-compassion. They're there for a reason — and they can shift with time and support.

  
  

Therapy with a holistic lens

In my work with clients, I don’t take a one-size-fits-all approach. Every person has a unique history, biology, and emotional landscape. But if you’re interested in exploring how your relationship with food may be affecting your mental and emotional life — and how that relationship might change — I welcome that conversation.

I offer virtual therapy across Virginia and work with adults navigating anxiety, depression, life transitions, relationship dynamics, and traumatic stress to name just a few. If you're looking for a space to explore both the emotional and physiological dimensions of healing, you're in the right place.

If you'd like to learn more or schedule a consultation, feel free to book your appointment with HIPAA compliant software that protects your privacy.

References

1. Marx, W., Moseley, G., Berk, M., & Jacka, F. (2021). Nutritional psychiatry: The present state of the evidence. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 80(4), 408-417. PubMed

2. Gibson, E. L. (2020). Emotional influences on food choice: Sensory, physiological and psychological pathways. Physiology & Behavior, 222, 112915. PubMed

3. Harvard Health Publishing. (2018). Gut feelings: How food affects your mood. Harvard Health

4. Lopresti, A. L. (2017). The effects of psychological and environmental stress on micronutrient concentrations in the body: A review of the evidence. Advances in Nutrition, 8(6), 956–971.