New Orleans oysters for mental health? Doctors explain how food can affect our mood.

More than ten years ago, when Dr. Drew Ramsey was writing a book about food that can make people happy, when he found himself on the streets of New Orleans looking for a bite to eat after a late-night wedding reception. Although it was early, he ordered a plate of oysters.

“New Orleans was the first place I ever had oysters for breakfast,” he recalled.

Mollusks became a frequently recommended part of his clinical practice as a nutritional psychiatrist when patients came to him with problems such as anxiety and depression. Oysters are high in vitamin B12, which has been shown to protect against brain damage. They also contain omega-3 fats, which promote cognitive function. Nutrients like zinc and iodine keep brain connections strong.

“A small East Coast oyster has about 10 calories, but for 10 calories, you get this amazing buffet of brain nutrition,” Ramsey said.

Ramsey is part of a growing field of therapists who have added a grocery list to their mental health treatment repertoire. Nutritionists advise patients on how eating foods rich in certain nutrients can lead to better mental health.

“The problem a lot of people have with feeding their brain is that we eat a lot of processed foods,” Ramsey said. “And these are lacking some of the key nutrients we need for mental health.”

The connection between food and the brain

While the idea that food can affect mood is new to some, the body of research is growing.

Studies have shown that diets high in fat, refined carbohydrates and processed foods lead to poorer mental health among children. Another study found that teenagers with a poor quality diet are 79% more likely to suffer from depression.

An Australian study found that a Mediterranean diet – focused on vegetables, fruit, fish and nuts – reduced self-reported depression in participants by 45%.

Another randomized controlled trial found that participants trained to follow a Mediterranean diet for three months experienced improved mood and reduced anxiety. Members of another group in the study who received general social support reported no such changes.

The impact of food reform in Louisiana could be significant. Nearly one in five adults in Louisiana reports frequent stress, according to the 2023 America’s Health Rankings. About 40% of the population said they have symptoms of anxiety or depression, according to the 2023 survey.

At the same time, Louisiana residents are struggling to eat healthy. About one in seven people – more than 680,000 – in the state live with food insecurity. One-third are children.

Without good options for healthy food, many families are turning to junk, cheap foods such as fast food that do not keep people full for long, raise blood sugar and raise cholesterol. Nearly 40% of adults are obese in Louisiana, one of the highest rates in the US

Dr. Annie Yeh, an integrative psychiatrist in New Orleans, sees chronic stress in many of her patients related to long-term trauma. He sees patients who are struggling financially, whose homes are unstable and who are suffering from depression after Hurricane Katrina or a difficult childhood. Talking about nutrition is an important part of her first term, although it can be difficult for people trying to stay healthy.

“Food can be a very difficult subject,” Yeh said.

For patients who are ready and able, he asks them to choose one meal a day to make the changes. For some, it looks like choosing a bag of potatoes over a bag of chips at the grocery store. Potatoes take a lot of time to wash, cut and cook, but the benefits are many.

“The difference in nutrients is that a bag of potatoes will have more fiber, it will have more potassium, it won’t go through the passé, deep-frying process that a bag of chips goes through,” he said. Yeh.

A diet high in processed foods can lead to higher levels of inflammation, Yeh said. That makes people feel lazy. It can also affect sleep. Over time, inflammation can become a disease, both physically and mentally.

Antidepressant Diet Rate

With more knowledge about which nutrients the depressed brain is most hungry for, Ramsey created the Antidepressant Diet that focuses on 12 nutrients that have been shown to promote recover.

In good news for Louisianans, oysters topped the animal food list with a score of 56%. But plant foods were more filling.

Foods such as watercress, spinach, greens and lettuce, Swiss chard and fresh herbs such as cilantro, basil or parsley all gained more than 70%.

Despite its reputation for junk food, Louisiana foods like gumbo, red beans and seafood are nutrient-dense and good for brain health, Ramsey said.

“Oysters are delicious, but so are clams,” Ramsey said. “Clams are a great source of vitamin B12. And other crustaceans like crawfish, crab and other shellfish that are part of the traditional Cajun diet are amazing foods to have in our diet.”

In researching the recommendations, Ramsey and other brain health experts looked at the Mediterranean diet and the Japanese diet for mental health. Louisiana traditional food may have its place next to such food.

“People might not put Cajun food out there,” Ramsey said. But I suspect that, when done right, it’s a traditional diet that can support the kind of strong mental health results we’re seeing for the Mediterranean diet.

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