CBS NEWS – Emerging science tells us we are what we eat in more ways than one. Not only does the food we consume impact our gut health, our gut health also impacts our brain and other body systems.
In an interview with CBS News, Dr. Uma Naidoo, a nutritional psychiatrist and author of “This Is Your Brain on Food,” shared the key elements to include in your diet for boosting both physical and mental health.
First up? Fiber.
“Fiber is extremely important for your gut health and you can get it from vegetables, berries, fruit, colorful salad — but you can also get it from extra-dark natural chocolate, (which is) rich in things like serotonin. It’s also a fermented food,” she said, adding that chocolate has also been studied for its impact on depression.
“A population-based study of more than 13,000 individuals showed an improvement of more than 70% in depression,” she said.
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“So your gut health is also your mental health — it’s your physical health, but it improves things like your mental well-being as well.”
Naidoo said to beware of chocolate-based candy bars, which are typically full of sugar, and instead “learn to get used to” extra-dark natural chocolate. “A lot of people love it,” she added.