Have you ever felt a little "down" when you're dieting? You're probably not alone. Several studies have suggested that restrictive diets may contribute to depression. But did you know that it may actually be due to the type of fat in your diet or lack thereof? There is new research on the important roles of essential fatty acids that explains the association between diet and depression.
The essential fatty acids (EFAs) are fats that cannot be made by the body, but are required for health, so they must be obtained from food or supplements. Because essential fatty acids make up 45% of the fatty acids in the cell membranes of nerve cells, a diet low in these important nutrients could disrupt the cell membrane structure and alter the production of important neurotransmitters (brain chemicals), such as serotonin, noradrenaline and dopamine. When these neurotransmitters are not balanced at optimal levels it can adversely affect behavior and mood and even cause you to eat more.
Most diets carelessly restrict fats without regard to the level essential fatty acids. As a result, many people are not obtaining adequate amounts of EFAs. To make the problem worse, essential fatty acids are burned at a higher rate when following a calorie-restricted diet. The combination of increased use and a low intake can create a fatty acid deficiency. A fatty acid deficiency can cause fatigue and alter mood, as well as affect the body's ability to build lean muscle, repair tissues, and fight off infection.
This means that it's especially important to include foods rich in these essential fats such as fish, nuts & seeds, and good oils while trying to lose weight. Including these foods in your weight loss program can help boost your mood, keep you hair and skin looking healthy and, according to new research, can even help you burn more fat. A recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that those who supplemented with essential fats (fish oil) burned more fat and lost more fat while dieting and exercising than the group that took a placebo and followed the same program.
If knowing that essential fats can promote healthy skin & nails, improve your mood, improve your health and help you burn fat isn't enough reason to "fatten up" your diet with these good fats, I don't know what is. For a list of foods that are good sources of essential fats, read "Top 5 sources of omega-3 fats".
To read the study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition on supplementing with fish oil to reduce body fat, click here.
Read about how fish oils may reduce the risk of breast cancer in "Study shows omega-3 from fish reduces breast cancer".
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