Moody Foods: How Your Diet Can Affect Anxiety And Depression

Dairy

Different foods affect people in different ways, and that’s certainly true for dairy. While some folks report having no adverse effects from consuming dairy products, others report an increase in anxiety, depression, or both of these within minutes.

FREDERICK, MD - JULY 4: Miss Frederick 2015, Emily Gallagher,
Katherine Frey/The Washington Post via Getty Images
Natasha Breen/REDA&CO/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

The reason is most likely that 10 percent of adults are lactose intolerant, and even more than that have trouble digesting the casein found in cow’s milk. Dairy can act as an inflammatory, which has been linked to both depression and anxiety.