Research suggests a strong link between excessive sugar consumption and depression. Here’s what that looks like.
Food can have many effects on your mood and emotions. When you’re hungry and want food, you can be grumpy, upset, or even angry. When you’ve had a delicious meal, you may feel elated and euphoric.
The food you eat can also have long-term implications for your health. Specifically, eating too much sugar may increase your risk for mood disorders, including depression.
Sugar occurs naturally in complex carbohydrates like fruits, vegetables, and grains. It’s also present in simple, refined foods like pasta, cakes, baked goods, bread, soda, and candy.
The typical American diet relies heavily on these easily digestible carbs and includes far too few complex carbs derived from healthier sources.
Eating too many simple sugars may increase your risk for depression, mood disorders, and several chronic health issues. Read on to learn about the link between sugar and depression. Plus, get tips for managing your sweet tooth.
Researchers in London discovered that a diet rich in whole foods like fruits, vegetables, and fish can lower your risk for depression in middle age.
According to their study, people who ate processed foods like sweetened desserts, fried foods, and processed meats were more likely to be diagnosed with depression than people who largely relied on unprocessed, whole foods.
You already know you should eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and fish for heart and brain health and to help ward off chronic diseases. Now, you can pile your plate with plants in order to keep depression at bay.
A 2019 study found that long-term sugar consumption can lead to neural changes that impair impulse control, making it harder to resist high fat, high-sugar foods.
It also affects brain systems involved in emotional regulation, potentially increasing the risk of depression and other mental health issues.
Want to break your sugar addiction? Sugar is everywhere, from drinks and sauces to soups and sandwiches. Look for places sugar hides in your daily diet and create strategies to slowly cut back.
As you eliminate sugar, your palate will adjust, and you won’t need as much sugar to reach satisfaction.
A diet that is high in fruits and vegetables may reduce inflammation in your body’s tissues, whereas a diet that is high in refined carbs may promote inflammation.
Chronic inflammation is linked to several health conditions, including metabolic disorders, cancer, and asthma. Inflammation may also be linked to depression, according to research.
Many of the symptoms of inflammation are also common with depression, such as:
- loss of appetite
- changes in sleep patterns
- heightened perceptions of pain
That’s why depression may be an underlying sign of inflammation problems.
Talk with your doctor if you suspect chronic inflammation. They can run tests to see if you have any other health conditions linked to inflammation. They can also offer suggestions to help you follow an anti-inflammatory diet.
Research from 2020 found that some medications used to treat high blood sugar in type 2 diabetes, including insulin, may also help reduce symptoms of depression.
This is likely because both conditions involve problems with how the body responds to insulin, which can affect brain function and mood.
However, most diabetes medications haven’t shown clear benefits for depression, except for a specific group called PPARγ receptor agonists, which have shown promise in some studies.
One study from 2024 found that women appear more vulnerable than men to depression linked to high sugar intake, possibly because of a mix of biological factors and social influences such as greater exposure to stress, different coping styles, and gender roles that are already known to raise depression risk in women.
The American Heart Association
However, nearly half of adults exceed that daily recommendation. That’s because sugar can quickly add up. For example, one 12-ounce can of soda has about 39 grams of sugar, which exceeds the recommended daily amount of added sugar.
Read labels carefully to spot hidden sugar. Just because something is savory, like a sauce, or healthy, like yogurt, doesn’t mean that there isn’t any added sugar, either.
The glycemic index (GI) is important in understanding the connection between sugar, carbs, and depression because it measures how quickly carbohydrates affect blood sugar levels.
Foods with a high GI, such as refined sugars and processed carbs, cause rapid blood sugar spikes and crashes, which can trigger hormonal imbalances and inflammation linked to mood changes, anxiety, and depression.
Research from 2020 emphasizes that not all carbohydrates are created equally. Refined carbohydrates, which have a high glycemic index (GI), can cause rapid blood sugar fluctuations. These spikes trigger hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, which are linked to anxiety and depression.
In contrast, lower-GI carbs, such as whole grains and vegetables, don’t cause the same fluctuations and may have a less negative impact on mood. This research highlights the importance of carb quality in maintaining mental well-being.
Trans fats, commonly found in processed and sugary foods, have been linked, according to 2023 research, to an increased risk of depression. These unhealthy fats, often found in baked goods, fast food, margarine, and packaged snacks, can disrupt brain function and contribute to inflammation, which may negatively affect mood regulation.
Regular consumption of trans fats may impair the brain’s ability to function properly, potentially triggering depressive symptoms.
Reducing intake of these fats and replacing them with healthier options like omega-3 fatty acids may help lower the risk of depression.
If you experience any signs or symptoms of depression, talk with your doctor. This common mental health disorder is treatable and manageable. The first step is asking a professional to help you understand your options.
Your doctor may recommend medical treatment, such as prescription drugs. They may also recommend psychotherapy. Likewise, lifestyle changes are commonly recommended. These may include eating a diet filled with:
- fruits
- vegetables
- lean meats
- whole grains
Exercise is also commonly recommended. A combination of these approaches is also commonly used.
When you’re ready to give up sugar, keep these five helpful hints in mind:
1. Cut back on the obvious sources
Sugar-sweetened beverages, including soda, energy drinks, and coffee drinks, contain a lot of added sugar. Smoothies, juice drinks, and fruit juices frequently boast big sugar numbers, too.
Instead of sugar-packed sips, opt for still water, sparkling water, or chilled unsweetened tea. You can also squeeze a lemon or lime into your water to add natural sweetness.
2: Pick healthier desserts
Grain- and dairy-based desserts are filled with sugar and simple carbs. At the end of a big meal, pass on these filling and nutrient-light options. Instead, reach for:
- fresh fruit
- a handful of dates
- a square of dark chocolate
- sautéed fruit sprinkled with cinnamon
Swap candy for fresh fruit or naturally dried fruit.
3. Choose quality carbs
Carbs aren’t all bad, but the quality does matter. Exchange simple grains for more complex options, such as whole grains.
Unlike white flour, white pasta, and white rice, whole grain varieties of these common foods cause less of a spike in your blood sugar than simple grains and provide a bonus of nutrients that aren’t found in highly processed foods.
4. Read food labels
Food manufacturers frequently add sugar to savory foods like marinara sauce, canned soup, and even bread to boost flavor satisfaction.
Flip over any box, bag, or jar you’re buying. If added sugar is one of the first five ingredients, return the product to the shelf.
5. Challenge yourself
Kick your sugar habit by challenging yourself — and perhaps your friends and family members — to a sugar scrub. Eliminate all added sugars and artificial sugars from your diet for two weeks.
After that brief period of time, you just might find that you’ve reset your taste preferences and no longer crave the overabundance of sugar you were eating just a few weeks before.
Sugars from simple carbohydrates are linked to many health issues, including depression. Work with your doctor or a registered dietitian to slowly cut back on your sugar intake.
The key with sugar is not to cut it out completely. Instead, you should aim to improve your ratio of added sugar to natural sugars. However, consuming complex carbs, such as those found in fruits and vegetables, may actually lower your risk of these conditions.
