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Can certain foods give you the blues?

We’ve heard the saying before—you are what you eat. And if you’re feeling like crap, it may have something to do with eating it.According to an article on Live Science, there are three types of foods that may have a negative affect on our emotions—refined grains, soft drinks and fast food.The term “refined grains” covers the “white” category—white pasta, white rice, white bread a
Can Certain Foods Give You the Blues?
Can Certain Foods Give You the Blues?Quiet Noise Creative/Digital Vision/Getty Image / Today

We’ve heard the saying before—you are what you eat. And if you’re feeling like crap, it may have something to do with eating it.

According to an article on Live Science, there are three types of foods that may have a negative affect on our emotions—refined grains, soft drinks and fast food.

The term “refined grains” covers the “white” category—white pasta, white rice, white bread and so on. If pasta being placed on the forbidden list sounds familiar, it’s because the Harvard School of Public Health announced less than two months ago that women who ate refined grains were 29 to 42 percent more likely to suffer from depression. 

Another food mentioned in that Harvard study that took place over a 12-year period…soda, item number two in this latest article. 

And last, and definitely least, is fast food, which includes exactly what you think it does—burgers, pizza, fries, etc. People who regularly consumed meals from this food group have a 37 percent chance of battling depression, state researchers from Spain say.

For years, science has been telling us there is a definite connection between food and mood. If you’re not buying it, ponder this for a minute—think about the times you’ve been stressed about something or you’ve been celebrating something…didn’t food play some role in either (or both) of these circumstances?

And let’s be serious — the majority of us are diving for the “bad stuff.” This theory reminds me of a quote from Sherri Shepherd: “I’ve never heard anyone say, 'He broke my heart—I need a plate of steamed broccoli!'”

A version of this story originally appeared on iVillage.