This Japanese diet can make you less depressed: study
While Japanese people eat a wide variety of diets, the most traditional is washoku.
The plan is low in saturated fat and added sugar, high in fiber, rich in omega‑3 fatty acids and packed with fermented foods that support gut health.
While Japanese people eat a wide variety of diets, the most traditional is washoku.
kai – stock.adobe.com
That means plenty of fish, miso soup, white rice, veggies, salt, soy, mushrooms, seaweed and green tea.
It's pretty clear washoku is healthy — and a new study shows it can also help you beat the blues.
The research — published recently in the journal Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences — tracked 12,500 Japanese workers from 2018–2021.
Those who closely followed the washoku diet were 17% to 20% less likely to experience depressive symptoms than low-adherence peers.
Those who followed the diet more were 17% to 20% less likely to be depressed.
SB Arts Media – stock.adobe.com
Most (88%) of the participants were men in their early 40s. Nearly 31% reported symptoms of depression.
Researchers created a 0–9 scale based on how often they consumed washoku staples like mushrooms and fish.
Those who stuck to the diet tended to be older, nonsmoking, married women.
They were also more likely to be well-educated, physically active in their free time and work regular daytime hours.
Scientists say the diet's signature nutrients — omega‑3s from fish, antioxidants from veggies and seaweed, plus probiotic power from fermented soy — could boost mood and brain chemistry.
Plus, green tea is a longevity hack believed to do everything from improve heart health to stave off cancer and cognitive decline.
The researchers pointed out that their findings add to the mounting evidence that what you eat can have a major impact on your mental health.
Studies have shown that consuming a lot of processed food makes you more likely to be depressed.
Meanwhile, the Mediterranean diet has been linked to the sunniest moods.
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