Can what you eat affect your mood? New research says yes—especially for men

The scent of browned onions drifting through my kitchen always lifts my spirits. Food has long been my family’s first line of defense against the blues. Now the science is catching up.

A June 2025 analysis of more than 28,000 U.S. adults found that people who were actively restricting calories or major nutrients scored higher on a standard depression scale — and the effect hit men the hardest.

That single data point flips a popular assumption on its head. We often think “healthy eating” equals happier vibes. But the new study warns that when a diet becomes too tight—especially for guys or anyone with a larger body—mood can sink right alongside the plate’s portion size.

Below, we’ll unpack what the study showed, why men may be especially vulnerable, and—most importantly—how all of us can build a mood‑friendly, plant‑forward plate that nourishes body and brain.

What exactly did the study measure?

Researchers combed through 2007–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data — 28,525 people, split almost evenly by sex. Participants listed any diet they were following (calorie‑ or nutrient‑cutting, a disease‑specific plan, or none at all) and completed the PHQ‑9 depression questionnaire.

The headline finding: Those on calorie‑restrictive diets posted PHQ‑9 scores 0.29 points higher than people not dieting; overweight men on these diets registered 0.46 points higher.

 The jump is small—but consistent enough to trigger concern.

Nutrient‑restrictive eaters (for example, ultra‑low‑carb or very low‑fat plans) showed similar bumps, particularly in “cognitive‑affective” symptoms—the tangled knot of low mood and anxious thinking.

Just as striking: 87% of participants said they weren’t on any diet at all—yet when men did diet, their mental‑health dip was sharper than women’s.

Diet culture’s double bind for men

Biology offers one clue.

Men typically have more muscle mass and higher daily calorie needs. Slice their carbohydrate or fat intake too thin, and the brain may run low on glucose or omega‑3s—fuels crucial for mood‑regulating neurotransmitters.

The study authors note that “diets low in (glucose) or fats (omega-3s) may theoretically worsen brain function and exacerbate cognitive‑affective symptoms, especially in men with greater nutritional needs.”

Culture piles on.

Many men still absorb a “tough it out” script: pack the lunchbox with plain chicken breast, hammer the weights, don’t complain. Talking feelings is taboo; talking food feelings doubly so.

That silence can turn a well‑meant cutback—say, skipping breakfast and dinner to “make weight”—into a stealth stressor no one sees coming until the mood nosedives.

Food, brain, and the gut connection

Why does under‑eating—or over‑processing—shake our emotions in the first place?

Nutrient supply lines

Neurotransmitters like serotonin (our stay‑sunny messenger) and dopamine (our motivation spark) are built from amino acids, B‑vitamins, iron, and zinc. Starve the pantry and the brain can’t stock its shelves.

Inflammation and oxidation

Ultra‑processed snacks and heavy saturated fats stoke low‑grade inflammation. Plant‑rich meals packed with antioxidants calm the flame. Chronic inflammation, in turn, correlates with higher depression risk.

The microbiome highway

Roughly 90% of the body’s serotonin is produced in the gut, and gut microbes chatter with the brain along the vagus nerve all day. Feed those microbes fiber from beans, veggies, and whole grains and they churn out mood‑supportive compounds. Feed them little besides white bread and soda, and they may amplify stress signals.

As nutritional psychiatrist Dr. Felice Jacka puts it, “The body and the brain are in constant conversation." What we eat scripts that dialog—cheerful, cranky, or somewhere between.

The brighter‑mood plate

The antidote to food-induced doldrums isn’t another strict plan. It’s a return to variety, color, and adequate fuel.

Here’s a plant‑forward template that satisfies large appetites (hello, high‑energy men) without sacrificing mental balance.

1. Make plants the main act

Aim for half your plate as vegetables or fruit—raw, roasted, stewed, or blitzed into smoothies. Think ruby‑red beets, emerald kale, golden squash. Each hue brings its own antioxidant arsenal.

2. Keep complex carbs in play

Brown rice, oats, quinoa, and sweet potatoes provide steady glucose. They also come bundled with fiber for your gut microbes. Carb-cutting that drops below 130 grams a day can leave the brain foggy, so if you train hard or have a bigger frame, don’t be shy about seconds.

3. Favor healthy fats

Walnuts, flax, chia, hemp seeds, avocado, and cold-pressed oils (olive, canola) supply omega-3 and monounsaturated fats that bathe neurons in a protective balm.

4. Pump up plant protein

Lentils, chickpeas, black beans, tempeh, tofu, and edamame deliver amino acids plus mood‑steadying minerals like magnesium. Combine two cups of cooked beans or a palm-size piece of tofu with meals to hit protein targets without resorting to ultra-processed shakes.

5. Season like you mean it

Herbs and spices—turmeric, cinnamon, rosemary—add depth and anti-inflammatory punch. A sprinkle of sea salt is fine; just balance it with citrus, garlic, or chili for flavor fireworks.

A mood‑supportive day on a plate

Below is a flexible schedule sized for a hungry adult — male or female — seeking both satiety and serenity.

Practical tips for men who want both gains and good vibes

1. Fuel workouts, don’t fast‑track them. If lifting heavy, add a banana or whole‑grain toast an hour before training to spare muscle glycogen—and mood.

2. Shoot for 1.4‑1.6 g protein/kg body weight using beans, lentils, tofu, or seitan. No need to chug sugary “bulking” shakes.

3. Mind the Monday morning scale. Extreme weekend restriction followed by weekday overeating (aka weight cycling) can whiplash both gut bacteria and emotions.

4. Swap diet isolation for social cooking. Batch‑cook chili with friends or prep veggie burritos for the week. Social meals buffer stress and make healthy food taste better.

5. Track mood, not just macros. Jot down how you feel two hours after meals for a week. Patterns jump out—maybe low‑carb lunches leave you edgy, or a tofu stir‑fry keeps you zen till bedtime.

Where do restrictive diets go wrong?

The new study doesn’t demonize all weight‑loss efforts; clinically supervised plans often improve mood. The danger appears when real‑world eaters:

• Slash calories below 1,500/day while still working, parenting, or training—creating chronic stress.

• Skimp on protein—key for feel‑good neurotransmitter building blocks.

• Cut healthy fats—losing omega‑3s that cushion brain cells.

• Eliminate entire food groups without professional guidance—risking micronutrient gaps.

As Professor Sumantra Ray observes in the above-mentioned study, the findings “add to the emerging evidence linking dietary patterns and mental health, raising important questions about whether restrictive diets low in nutrients considered beneficial for cognitive health…may precipitate depressive symptoms.”

Translation: trimming calories is fine if essential nutrients stay robust. Otherwise, the cost may reverberate far beyond the bathroom scale.

The bottom line

Food and mood travel the same road. When we fuel up on colorful plants, steady carbs, and satisfying fats—as much as our bodies genuinely need—we pave that road smooth.

When we over‑restrict or rely on ultra‑processed quick fixes, potholes form. Men, with typically higher energy demands and social pressure to “eat like a man,” may hit those potholes harder.

Yet the fix is refreshingly simple: honor hunger, choose whole‑food variety, and season generously. Your plate becomes a daily act of self‑respect—one that lifts spirits while it nourishes muscles, heart, and planet.

So tonight, ladle steaming lentil stew into a deep bowl, inhale the smoky paprika, and feel your shoulders drop.

That warmth isn’t just comfort food — it’s cognitive care. Your brain will thank you tomorrow morning when the world looks a shade brighter—no fad diet required.