Do you want to experience less stress? Try the Mediterranean diet

Following the Mediterranean diet versus the traditional Western diet may leave you feeling less stressed, according to new research conducted by a team at 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.

“It is recognized that stress is a precursor to mental problems, and research, including ours, has shown that the Mediterranean diet reduces mental problems,” she said. “One element of the puzzle can thus 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 qualities.”

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

Although the Mediterranean diet is known for its benefits for both mental and physical health, little is known about its effect on perceived stress, which is the idea of ​​the amount of stress you experience at any given time.

To assess this, Begdache and her students conducted a survey of more than 1,500 people, asking them what types of food they ate and rating 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 these results fill a gap in the literature, as most studies on diet and stress have focused on how stress affects diet choices and quality. She and her team investigate various aspects of brain function and behavior in relation to dietary patterns.

The study ‘Effects of Mediterranean and Western Diet Patterns on Observed Stress and Mental Discharge’ was published in Nutrition and health.