After being exhausted from the crushing weight of work or tired from doing nothing, your tummy begs for food. So, to satiate your hunger, you eat. Your battery gets charged, and you are all geared up to crush your little enemies at work, school, and home. But, wait…is that it? You felt hunger, and food fulfilled that. Has food just awarded you the energy? Does your food have only one purpose: to satiate your hunger? Do you eat food to gain weight or lose some of it?
No, the sole purpose of the food is not to provide you with energy. It influences your psychology and affects your mood. Yes, food can be the cause of your happiness and sadness. This psychology of eating is also explained in the food theory that enlightens your relationship with food. For example, what do you think about your food, and how does it affect your mental health? In this article, we will learn all about the psychology of eating. Well, not all, but what’s most important, for sure!
Before looking into the psychology, let’s learn about food theory.
What is Food Theory?
A food theory simply suggests what you think about your food and how it affects your mental health. In simple words, it states your relationship with food: the quantity, quality, and type of food you are consuming. Also, it studies how it influences your mood.
What Influences a Food Theory?
Aspects like culture, economic status, environmental conditions, family culture, varying social circumstances, individual eating choices, and psychology inform a food theory. This, in turn, results in varying mood changes.
Studies suggest that a person’s eating choices during childhood form their eating habits in adulthood. And these habits in adulthood impact a person’s mood accordingly.
The Psychology of Eating
Now back to the psychology part!
The food we consume determines our mood and health. Our bodies are nourished, our energy level goes sky-high, and we enjoy calmness after having a healthy and tasty meal.
Oftentimes, most people, including me, eat to get rid of stress, anxiety, tension, or any kind of panic attack. But does it work?
Yes, it does.
Okay, if it helps, (sometimes,) are the effects long-lasting and healthy?
The answer is always negative.
How so?
See…consuming loaded fries or pizza to get rid of tension is not a good option, even if it appears so. First, you are not eating pizza only when you are upset, which means that you are constantly making unhealthy choices, leading to fleeting moments of calmness. Second of all, you are surrounded by guilt afterwards, a bad self-image of your body starts to haunt your mind, and your mood and brain are regularly at stake. See, when your brain is not happy, neither is your mood and health!
Then, there is another scenario. If you eat pizza or loaded spicy fries only during stressful or anxious times, it can be less damaging. Damage is there but in a lesser amount!
In other words, the harm and damage solely depend on how much you get upset and let yourself be driven by bad and unhealthy food choices.
But what if we eat and do not feel relaxed or calm?
No worries, we can have the feelings removed by making constant healthy choices. But before that, it is necessary to learn how food affects your mood.
How Does Food Affect Your Mood?
The relationship between your mood and food is dependent upon the close relationship between the gastrointestinal tract and the brain.
There are some chemicals residing in the gastrointestinal tract that stimulate the production of hormones, such as serotonin and dopamine. Both of the hormones are responsible for happiness. Eating food that is rich in nutrients results in the production of good bacteria. These good bacteria increase the production of serotonin and dopamine. The increased production of these hormones, in turn, makes you happy.
Also, remember that when the input is healthy, your brain receives healthy and positive messages, so it gives a healthy output. So, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that the health of the brain is interdependent upon the health body and vice versa.
The Sugar Intake
Food rich in sugar, like biscuits, cookies, and cakes, has a sunny effect. But is it healthy? Again, it depends on the amount you take in!
When you have food rich in sugar. It plays with your mood by increasing the production of bad bacteria. However, it does secrete dopamine and serotonin, making you happy.
Foods That Support Good Mood and Mental Health
These foods promote healthy gut bacteria, stabilize blood sugar, and support brain function:
- Whole Grains (complex carbs for steady energy)
- Oats
- Brown rice
- Quinoa
- Whole wheat bread/pasta
- Lean Protein (for neurotransmitter production)
- Chicken, turkey
- Eggs
- Fish (especially salmon, sardines, mackerel—rich in omega-3s)
- Lentils, chickpeas, beans
- Fruits (antioxidants + natural sugars)
- Berries (blueberries, strawberries, blackberries)
- Bananas
- Oranges
- Kiwi
- Vegetables (fiber, folate, antioxidants)
- Leafy greens (spinach, kale, Swiss chard)
- Broccoli
- Sweet potatoes
- Bell peppers
- Healthy Fats (brain health + hormone balance)
- Avocados
- Nuts (almonds, walnuts, cashews)
- Seeds (chia seeds, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds)
- Olive oil
- Fermented Foods (probiotics for gut health)
- Sauerkraut
- Yogurt (unsweetened)
- Kefir
- Kimchi
- Hydration & Herbal Support
- Plenty of water
- Green tea (antioxidants, L-theanine for calm focus)
- Herbal teas like chamomile or peppermint
Food does far more than fill an empty stomach. It speaks directly to your mind, affects your mood, and overall well-being. The science of food theory also shows that every bite you take has a message to your brain, impacting your emotions and feelings, energy levels, and even how you see yourself. While comfort foods, like pizza or sugary treats offer short bursts of happiness, they usually leave behind lingering guilt, mood crashes, and long-term health risks.
