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The Connection Between Food and Your Mood

Tue, Dec 2nd 2025, 11:22 AM
Health

There are so many great things about fall and winter - changing leaves, pumpkin patches, Christmas decorations and family gatherings. But as the weather starts to turn cold and dreary, you may experience the winter blues. To help combat those feeling, try eating certain foods known to help boost your mood.

“The foods we eat not only affect our mood, but our sleep patterns and our energy levels,” says Cleveland Clinic, OH, psychologist Susan Albers, PsyD. “And that can impact us throughout the entire day.”

Studies have found that the change in seasons often leads to an increase in emotional eating, says Dr. Albers.

“In this study, individuals who feel blue during the winter and fall months, due to the short days, experience an increase in snacking, craving starchy foods and sugary foods, as well as eating more in the evenings,” she says.

Foods to avoid or cut down on during the winter months are sugar, alcohol, starchy foods, and processed foods.

Foods sweetened with sugar like soda and cookies, as well as flour-based foods like bread, crackers and baked goods might give you a quick energy boost, but their low nutritional value could leave you with low energy and in a down mood later on.

“If you’re someone who loves salty snacks, swap out the chips for spicy roasted chickpeas,” says Dr. Albers. “Not only are those going to give you a great crunch, but they also give you a great boost of nutrients.”

There are plenty of foods that affect your mood in a positive way. Ease into it and you’ll see rewards.

“Too often we focus on removing or subtracting foods from our diet,” says Dr. Albers. “Think about additions, trying to add one food a day. Make it a goal to add one of these foods a day and over time, you’re going to see an improvement in your mood.”

Work in foods rich in vitamin D like red meat, but try to limit to less than 6 ounces per week, mushrooms, egg yolks, tuna, salmon and sardines. You should also look for items fortified in vitamin D like milk, yogurt and cereal.

“During the winter months, people who have more emotional eating have been shown to have lower levels of vitamin D, which is associated with more anxiety and depression,” says Dr. Albers.

Oranges, mangoes, lemons, kiwi, broccoli, bell peppers and strawberries are great options if you’re hoping to increase your vitamin C intake. Vitamin C can help with anxiety, Alzheimer’s disease and depression.

“One of the best things you can do to help your immune system and to boost your mood is to add foods that are high in vitamin C,” says Dr. Albers.

Get your protein fill with foods like beef, chicken, turkey and eggs.

“Those foods are linked to higher levels of dopamine and norepinephrine, which are brain chemicals that play an important role in our mood, our motivation and our concentration,” says Dr. Albers.

If you are vegan or vegetarian, you can opt for chickpeas, lentils or tofu to get that much-needed protein fix.

With comfort-food-laden holiday menus in your future, try subbing out white potatoes for sweet potatoes, which are a good source of vitamin A.

“Sweet potatoes contain fiber, which breaks down really slowly and can help your blood sugar,” says Dr. Albers. “This, in turn, helps to keep your cravings and emotional eating down.” Sweet potatoes are also rich in magnesium, which has been shown to help lower anxiety levels.

Beets are a good bet, especially if you’re feeling anxious or stressed. “Beets can lower your blood sugar,” says Dr. Albers. “Eating beets can also help lower your blood pressure in just a matter of a few hours.”

A study in which participants were given a handful of walnuts for five days showed a significant reduction in appetite hunger and cravings for starchy and sugary foods. Adding walnuts to your meals is great for cognitive functions like your memory, attention and language. They can also help to boost your mood.

Warming up with a hot cup of cocoa will also do you some good, Dr. Albers says. “Not only is it soothing and sweet during the cold winter months,” she says. “But cocoa is also a great source of polyphenols.”

Polyphenols are very potent antioxidants, which help with your mood thanks to their anti-inflammatory effects. Polyphenols have been shown in many studies to boost your concentration levels and your focus.

Regardless of your diet during the winter, don’t be too hard on yourself, says Dr. Albers.

“As the holiday season approaches, move aside dieting. This is often stressful for people and instead focus on mindful eating,” says Dr. Albers. “This is slowing down, being in the moment, enjoying and savoring your food, instead of trying to stay away from certain foods.”
 
About Cleveland Clinic

Cleveland Clinic is a nonprofit multispecialty academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, it was founded in 1921 by four renowned physicians with a vision of providing outstanding patient care based upon the principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation. Cleveland Clinic has pioneered many medical breakthroughs, including coronary artery bypass surgery and the first face transplant in the United States. Cleveland Clinic is consistently recognized in the U.S. and throughout the world for its expertise and care. Among Cleveland Clinic’s 82,600 employees worldwide are more than 5,786 salaried physicians and researchers, and 20,700 registered nurses and advanced practice providers, representing 140 medical specialties and subspecialties. Cleveland Clinic is a 6,728-bed health system that includes a 173-acre main campus near downtown Cleveland, 23 hospitals, 280 outpatient facilities, including locations in northeast Ohio; Florida; Las Vegas, Nevada; Toronto, Canada; Abu Dhabi, UAE; and London, England. In 2024, there were 15.7 million outpatient encounters, 333,000 hospital admissions and observations, and 320,000 surgeries and procedures throughout Cleveland Clinic’s health system. Patients came for treatment from every state and 112 countries. Visit us at clevelandclinic.org. Follow us at x.com/CleClinicNews. News and resources are available at newsroom.clevelandclinic.org.

There are so many great things about fall and winter - changing leaves, pumpkin patches, Christmas decorations and family gatherings. But as the weather starts to turn cold and dreary, you may experience the winter blues. To help combat those feeling, try eating certain foods known to help boost your mood.
“The foods we eat not only affect our mood, but our sleep patterns and our energy levels,” says Cleveland Clinic, OH, psychologist Susan Albers, PsyD. “And that can impact us throughout the entire day.”
Studies have found that the change in seasons often leads to an increase in emotional eating, says Dr. Albers.
“In this study, individuals who feel blue during the winter and fall months, due to the short days, experience an increase in snacking, craving starchy foods and sugary foods, as well as eating more in the evenings,” she says.
Foods to avoid or cut down on during the winter months are sugar, alcohol, starchy foods, and processed foods.
Foods sweetened with sugar like soda and cookies, as well as flour-based foods like bread, crackers and baked goods might give you a quick energy boost, but their low nutritional value could leave you with low energy and in a down mood later on.
“If you’re someone who loves salty snacks, swap out the chips for spicy roasted chickpeas,” says Dr. Albers. “Not only are those going to give you a great crunch, but they also give you a great boost of nutrients.”
There are plenty of foods that affect your mood in a positive way. Ease into it and you’ll see rewards.
“Too often we focus on removing or subtracting foods from our diet,” says Dr. Albers. “Think about additions, trying to add one food a day. Make it a goal to add one of these foods a day and over time, you’re going to see an improvement in your mood.”
Work in foods rich in vitamin D like red meat, but try to limit to less than 6 ounces per week, mushrooms, egg yolks, tuna, salmon and sardines. You should also look for items fortified in vitamin D like milk, yogurt and cereal.
“During the winter months, people who have more emotional eating have been shown to have lower levels of vitamin D, which is associated with more anxiety and depression,” says Dr. Albers.
Oranges, mangoes, lemons, kiwi, broccoli, bell peppers and strawberries are great options if you’re hoping to increase your vitamin C intake. Vitamin C can help with anxiety, Alzheimer’s disease and depression.
“One of the best things you can do to help your immune system and to boost your mood is to add foods that are high in vitamin C,” says Dr. Albers.
Get your protein fill with foods like beef, chicken, turkey and eggs.
“Those foods are linked to higher levels of dopamine and norepinephrine, which are brain chemicals that play an important role in our mood, our motivation and our concentration,” says Dr. Albers.
If you are vegan or vegetarian, you can opt for chickpeas, lentils or tofu to get that much-needed protein fix.
With comfort-food-laden holiday menus in your future, try subbing out white potatoes for sweet potatoes, which are a good source of vitamin A.
“Sweet potatoes contain fiber, which breaks down really slowly and can help your blood sugar,” says Dr. Albers. “This, in turn, helps to keep your cravings and emotional eating down.” Sweet potatoes are also rich in magnesium, which has been shown to help lower anxiety levels.
Beets are a good bet, especially if you’re feeling anxious or stressed. “Beets can lower your blood sugar,” says Dr. Albers. “Eating beets can also help lower your blood pressure in just a matter of a few hours.”
A study in which participants were given a handful of walnuts for five days showed a significant reduction in appetite hunger and cravings for starchy and sugary foods. Adding walnuts to your meals is great for cognitive functions like your memory, attention and language. They can also help to boost your mood.
Warming up with a hot cup of cocoa will also do you some good, Dr. Albers says. “Not only is it soothing and sweet during the cold winter months,” she says. “But cocoa is also a great source of polyphenols.”
Polyphenols are very potent antioxidants, which help with your mood thanks to their anti-inflammatory effects. Polyphenols have been shown in many studies to boost your concentration levels and your focus.
Regardless of your diet during the winter, don’t be too hard on yourself, says Dr. Albers.
“As the holiday season approaches, move aside dieting. This is often stressful for people and instead focus on mindful eating,” says Dr. Albers. “This is slowing down, being in the moment, enjoying and savoring your food, instead of trying to stay away from certain foods.”
 
About Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland Clinic is a nonprofit multispecialty academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, it was founded in 1921 by four renowned physicians with a vision of providing outstanding patient care based upon the principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation. Cleveland Clinic has pioneered many medical breakthroughs, including coronary artery bypass surgery and the first face transplant in the United States. Cleveland Clinic is consistently recognized in the U.S. and throughout the world for its expertise and care. Among Cleveland Clinic’s 82,600 employees worldwide are more than 5,786 salaried physicians and researchers, and 20,700 registered nurses and advanced practice providers, representing 140 medical specialties and subspecialties. Cleveland Clinic is a 6,728-bed health system that includes a 173-acre main campus near downtown Cleveland, 23 hospitals, 280 outpatient facilities, including locations in northeast Ohio; Florida; Las Vegas, Nevada; Toronto, Canada; Abu Dhabi, UAE; and London, England. In 2024, there were 15.7 million outpatient encounters, 333,000 hospital admissions and observations, and 320,000 surgeries and procedures throughout Cleveland Clinic’s health system. Patients came for treatment from every state and 112 countries. Visit us at clevelandclinic.org. Follow us at x.com/CleClinicNews. News and resources are available at newsroom.clevelandclinic.org.
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