Leading science, food and health experts have named three common supermarket foods that can potentially treat and prevent dementia, depression, and other mental health issues. Professors Felice Jacka and Tim Spector highlighted yoghurt, fermented foods, and whole grains as readily available dietary interventions with significant brain health benefits.
Yoghurt Improves Brain Function
Professor Felice Jacka, a leading researcher in nutritional psychiatry and co-director of the Food & Mood Centre at Deakin University, ran a trial involving 40 healthy women in partnership with a large dairy company. Participants who consumed yoghurt showed improvements in brain function and increased production of chemicals that help protect the brain.
Fermented Foods Boost Mood and Energy
Fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kefir, kombucha, kimchi, yoghurt, and cheese also play a key role. Professor Tim Spector, a former GP, co-founder of Zoe, and professor at King’s College London, cited a trial involving 6,000 people where 50% of participants who started eating fermented foods reported improved mood and energy levels.
Whole Grains Linked to Better Health
Professor Jacka stated that whole grains consistently emerge as the strongest correlate of better health outcomes, both physical and mental. Examples include oats (minimally processed), barley, rye, spelt, and quinoa. These foods are associated with reduced risk of depression and dementia.
The Gut-Brain Connection
Professor Spector explained that diet impacts the gut microbiome, which in turn influences the brain. A healthy brain has low inflammation and receives correct signals from the gut. He said: "We now know that if you improve your diet significantly from the poor diet that most people with brain disorders are on, that will shift your gut microbes [which] can produce these healthy chemicals... or anti-inflammatory compounds... and these then have effects on the brain and can improve a lot of the symptoms." He added that the effects of a healthy diet on brain symptoms are larger than those typically seen with starting an antidepressant, though many people do benefit from medication.
Ultra-Processed Foods Harm Brain Health
Conversely, consumption of ultra-processed foods is linked to negative brain changes. Professor Jacka published an umbrella review in the British Medical Journal showing that 70% of studied health outcomes were linked to higher intake of ultra-processed foods, with strong evidence for all-cause mortality, heart disease, diabetes, and common mental disorders. She hypothesizes that the processing itself may be problematic.
Both experts emphasize that dietary changes can be a powerful tool for mental health, offering benefits that extend beyond depression and anxiety to various mental health disorders.
