Want to feel less stressed? Try the Mediterranean diet

Following the Mediterranean diet versus the traditional Western diet might make you feel like you’re under less stress, according to new research conducted by a team from Binghamton University, State University of New York.

The findings suggest that people can lower their perception of how much stress they can tolerate by following a Mediterranean diet, said Lina Begdache, associate professor of health and wellness studies.

“Stress is recognized to be a precursor to mental distress, and research, including our own, has demonstrated that the Mediterranean diet lowers mental distress,” she said. “Thus, one element of the puzzle may be explained by the fact that the Mediterranean diet may be associated with a decrease in the negative components of perceived stress and an improvement in its positive attributes.”  

The Mediterranean diet is plant-based with healthy fats and mostly includes wholesome food and a spectrum of natural colors. The diet stands in sharp contrast to the Western diet, which is known for its high concentration of high-glycemic and low-quality processed foods.

While the Mediterranean diet is known for its benefits to both mental health and physical health, little is known about its effect on perceived stress, which is the idea of how much stress you are under at any particular time.

To assess this, Begdache and her students conducted a survey of over 1,500 people, asking them what types of foods they ate and assessing their levels of perceived stress. Using a machine learning model, the results show that consuming components of the Mediterranean diet is associated with lower levels of perceived stress and mental distress, while consuming Western dietary components is correlated with perceived stress and mental distress.

Begdache said that these results close a gap in the literature because the majority of studies on diet and stress focused on how stress affects dietary choices and quality. She and her team are looking at different aspects of brain function and behaviors in relation to dietary patterns.

The study, “Effects of Mediterranean and Western dietary patterns on perceived stress and mental distress,” was published in Nutrition and Health.