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New research suggests that the Mediterranean diet may help you feel less stressed and improve your mood, too. mixetto/Getty Images
  • The Mediterranean diet is associated with decreased feelings of stress and mental distress, according to new research.
  • Conversely, components of the Western diet, which include fast food and sugary (high-glycemic index) foods, were positively associated with negative feelings.
  • The Mediterranean diet is widely considered one of the best on the planet and has been linked to numerous benefits, including improved heart and brain health.

If you’ve spent any amount of time online reading about diet, you’ve encountered the Mediterranean diet, rich in vegetables, whole grains, and heart-healthy fats like fish. Its myriad benefits include improvements to heart healthTrusted Source, blood sugarTrusted Source, and cognitive functioningTrusted Source.

Now, researchers in the field of nutritional neuroscience, which examines nutrition through the lens of neurochemistry, have found that the Mediterranean diet also appears to play a role in improving mood and dealing with stress. On the other hand, the Western dietTrusted Source, known for highly processed foods, red meat, and high-glycemic index foods, appears to exacerbate negative feelings associated with stress.

The findings were published in the journal Nutrition and Health.

Lina Begdache, PhD, RDN, an Associate Professor of Nutritional Neuroscientist, Registered Dietitian, and Senior Author of the research, told Healthline, “We closed a gap in the literature by looking at the impact of diet quality on [the] perception of stress.”

“Our results showed that the Mediterranean diet reduced feelings of distress as well as increased feelings of eustress [positive stress]. Whereas the Western diet lowered the perception of the positive stress and promoted distress,” she said.

Kristin Kirkpatrick, MS, RD, a nutritionist at the Cleveland Clinic, and co-author of Regenerative Health, who wasn’t affiliated with the study, told Healthline, “This research is aligned with others looking at a Mediterranean dietary pattern and its association with depression and anxiety.”