Without fat to make food taste good, food manufacturers turned to other less-healthy additives, namely processed salt and sugar. Dr. Robert Lustig, professor of pediatric endocrinology at the University of California in San Francisco (USCF), explained that sugar was added in such a way that it made the food irresistible. If you find it difficult to stop eating sugary foods, or find that the more you eat them, the more you want them, it’s because sugar is addictive, as previously noted. Here Kimberly Holland, HealthLine.com, reflects on the connection between sugar and depression, medically reviewed by Timothy J. Legg, PhD, PsyD, CRNP, ACRN, CPH:

“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.

Refined carbohydrates linked to depression

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.

Sugar linked to inflammation, which is linked to depression

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 disorder, cancer, and asthma. Inflammation may also be linked to depression, according to one study.

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 to 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.

Insulin may help treat depression

Researchers are so confident that depression can be linked to sugar intake that they’ve studied using insulin to treat it. In one study, researchers found that people with both major depression and insulin resistance showed improvement in their depression symptoms when they were given medication to treat diabetes for 12 weeks. The effect was particularly strong in younger study participants.

More research is needed before doctors can begin prescribing insulin or other diabetes medication for people with depression. However, talk to your doctor about new research and alternative treatment options.”

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Read More … Article Source: https://www.healthline.com/health/depression/sugar-and-depression#insulin-as-a-treatment