Bagels
Doesn't it seem like bagels get bigger every year? These growing breakfast staples are anything but benign, wreaking havoc on both your mood and your waistline.
How do bagels mess with your mood? At first bagels boost a person's energy, but after a few hours you come crashing down looking for another fix in the modern American diet. That crash can cause people to feel irritable, lightheaded, or sad.
The carbs can also take a toll on your waistline when the body converts and stores them as fat. But bagels aren't the only carbs that can ruin a person's mood: Pancakes, waffles, and cereal should be avoided if you want to maintain a stable mood and slim figure.
Egg whites
You were told to avoid egg yolks because they're high in cholesterol. What you probably weren't told is that the yolk is where all the nutrients reside. These nutrients, including omega-3s, vitamin D, B12 and folate, regulate mood by improving the health of brain cells and contribute to feeling more stable, energetic, and less blue. People who eat egg whites miss these essential nutrients,
But don't just take our word for it. Even the Harvard School of Public Health has reversed course and acknowledged eggs are brain food.
Soda
We now eat as much as sugar in a week as we used to in a year. This is biggest change to the human diet since the invention of farming. And sugar tops our list of mood busters because it not only makes us fat - which in it of itself is a risk factor for mental illness - but some studies using state-of-the-art imaging techniques show that over time obesity and diabetes actually decreases our brain volume. One of the top sources of this mood-killing food? Soda. It's now estimated that the average American drinks 600 of these sugar bombs a year.
Margarine
This butter alternative was promoted as "heart healthy" for decades before scientists realized it was one of the top sources of trans fats. These are the worst kind of fats for your heart and recent studies have tied trans fats to depression. According to a study out of the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in Las Palmas, Spain, people who eat the most trans fats are about 50% more likely to be depressed.
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Soy yogurt
America's obsession with animal fats led to the rise of "healthier" alternatives such as corn and soy oil, which eventually paved the way for a number of new, factory-made foods that aren't exactly natural. These are foods like no-fat cheese, egg substitutes, and soy yogurt. Soy yogurt might sound healthy, but it's high in omega-6 fatty acids, which squash the mood-boosting effects of omega-3 acids in our diet. How? Your brain is made out of fat and studies have shown without the right fats you're much more likely to suffer from mood disorder. What's worse is that this yogurt is loaded with sugar. Stick with real foods like real, full-fat yogurt that'll keep you full longer and provide your body with the right fats - the ones we should be eating.
Non-organic celery
A recent study conducted by the Environmental Working Group found 57 different pesticides on non-organic celery. According to the Pesticide Action Network at least 12 of those were neurotoxins, which is science speak for substances that poison the brain. And anything that's toxic for the brain is toxic for a stable, well-balanced mood. Neurotoxins have been linked to an increased risk of feeling depressed.
Fruit smoothies
They may sound healthy, but fruit juice and fruit smoothies are hidden sources of sugar - and lots of it. Take a popular pre-packaged bottle of a smoothie drink. What could be healthier? It turns out a lot. This bottle might contain a staggering 44g of brain-shrinking, waistline-expanding sugar, which is much more than the 30g found in a can of soda. Sure smoothies might have some vitamins, but sugar is sugar and there's no question about its role in the epidemics of obesity, diabetes, and depression.
Canned soup
We've all read about the chemical Bisphenol-A (or BPA) by now, and how it's being linked to all kinds of disorders, from depression and anxiety to early puberty and heart disease. New studies show that one of the top sources is canned soup. According to researchers at Harvard, eating canned soup can cause BPA levels to spike by as much as 1,200 percent! A recent study published in the journal Pediatrics found that kids who were exposed to high amounts of BPA in the womb were much more likely to suffer from anxiety, depression, and, the researchers noted, a diminished capacity for self-control.
Agave nectar
No doubt you've heard some experts talk about the dangers of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). But this list includes something that - ounce to ounce - might be worse: agave nectar. HFCS is 55 percent fructose and fructose is a sugar that our body hasn't adapted to and causes weight gain when we eat it in excess. Agave nectar, on the other hand, happens to be anywhere from 70 to 100 percent fructose. Remember anything that makes the waistline expand has the opposite effect on your brain, increasing the risk of depression and mood disorders.
Deli meats
Not all deli meats are created equal, but the majority at your local deli counter are highly processed foods. They are injected with sugars and starches and contain food dyes and nitrate preservatives, the latter two which are linked to cancer. A small serving of daily deli meat can increase the risk of heart disease by 42 percent and researchers have also linked a diet high in these processed meats to a greater risk of midlife depression. Why would that be? For one thing, these are usually cheap cuts made from animals that aren't eating a natural diet. That means too many omega-6 fatty acids and not enough brain-healthy omega-3s. Secondly, most of the artificial colors used in food processing are derived from petrochemicals, which have long been linked to mood disorders.
