Turns out, what we eat has an enormous impact on mental health. For instance, a growing body of evidence shows that getting enough fiber and prebiotics (like the kind in our mixes) can have a beneficial impact on your brain.
Curious? Here are some of the ways that fiber can contribute to better mental health!
1. Fiber helps nourish your gut-brain axis
Did you know that 95% of your body’s serotonin is produced in your gut? Fiber acts a prebiotic, feeding the good bacteria in your gut, and certain gut bacteria produce serotonin and dopamine. These neurotransmitters are important for regulating mood, among other things.
We know that what happens in your gut is intimately connected with mood and brain health. Because fiber can benefit digestion, helping keep things regular and nourishing your gut microbiome, it can help support the pathways that impact mood and mental health as a result.
2. Fiber can support a healthy inflammatory response
Inflammation, or your body’s reaction to injury or infection, becomes problematic when it’s prolonged over time. Chronic inflammation is associated with depression and other mental health conditions.
When your gut bacteria get to work fermenting the fiber you eat, they produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), compounds that may be beneficial for reducing inflammation. One SCFA that is created when your gut bacteria metabolize fiber is butyrate, which studies show may also be helpful in preventing plaque buildup related to dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
3. Fiber can improve blood sugar response
Your glycemic response can impact mood, focus, and other aspects of mental health, and blood sugar problems can even be linked to adverse mental health conditions. Dementia, for example, is often referred to as “Type 3 Diabetes” because it’s now understood that the risk factors for both are related.
Low-glycemic index foods with a healthy fiber content can help regulate blood sugar for smooth, steady energy instead of drastic spikes. This can have a positive impact on health over time, and in the short-term can help you enjoy stable mood and cognitive function.
4. Fiber can benefit nutrient absorption
To perform at your top cognitive ability and enjoy your best mental health, it’s important you’re getting the essential nutrients, like vitamins and minerals, that act as components for brain health. Fiber can help your body better absorb these nutrients from the food you eat.
5. Fiber can increase BDNF
Fiber may boost your brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF: a protein found in your central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). This protein helps protect your neurons and plays a role in processes that are important for learning, memory, and other cognitive functions.
Mental health is determined by a variety of factors, and diet is one of those. Important processes, like proper nutrient absorption, blood sugar regulation, and production of neurotransmitters and short-chain fatty acids all play a role in mood and mental function, and getting good fiber can support all of the above. Scotty’s keto baking mixes are high in fiber to help nourish the good guys in your gut and promote a healthy body for a healthy mind!
Sources:
Serotonin, tryptophan metabolism and the brain-gut-microbiome axis - ScienceDirect
Alzheimer's and the gut-health connection - Mayo Clinic Press
