Nutrients Table

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What we eat affects our mental health. Good nutrition can be just as important for our minds as it is for our bodies.

If you find that your mood changes after meals and snacks, it may be that you're lacking the nutrients that can help promote good mental health. Use the table below to learn what your diet might be missing and what foods might make a difference to your mental health.

Download the Nutrients table (PDF file, 146KB)

Are you experiencing…?	Your diet may lack	Foods which contain these nutrients
Anxiety	Folic Acid	Veg: spinach, lettuce, asparagus, beetroot, savoy cabbage, bok choi, broccoli, green peas, fresh parsley, brussels sprouts, avocados, cauliflower Fish: cod, tuna, salmon, halibut, shrimp Meat: calf's liver, turkey Nuts and seeds: peanuts, sesame seeds, hazelnuts, cashews, walnuts Beans and pulses: lentils, chickpeas, black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans Fruit: oranges
	Magnesium	Veg: spinach, watercress, avocado, peppers, broccoli, brussels sprouts, green cabbage, watercress Nuts and seeds: almonds, brazil nuts, cashews, peanuts, macadamias, pistachios, walnuts, pecan, pumpkin, sunflower and poppy seeds Wholegrains: oatmeal, bran, long grain rice, buckwheat, barley, quinoa Dairy: plain yoghurt Beans and pulses: baked beans Fruit: banana, kiwi, blackberries, strawberries, oranges, raisins Sweet: chocolate

Poor Concentration & Attention	Vitamin B1	Wholegrain: spelt bread, oats, brown rice, barley, fresh pasta Pulses and beans: lentils, soya milk Veg: peppers, cabbage, broccoli, asparagus, romaine lettuce, mushrooms, spinach, watercress, green peas, aubergine, brussel sprouts Nuts and seeds: sunflower seeds, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, sesame seeds Fish/seafood: tuna, salmon, mussels Meat: pork

Depression	Vitamin B3	Wholegrains: brown rice, rice bran, wheatgerm Veg: broccoli, mushrooms, cabbage, brussels sprouts, courgette, squash Nuts: peanuts Meat: beef liver, beef kidney, pork, turkey, chicken Fish: tuna, salmon Seeds: sunflower seeds
	Vitamin B6	Wholegrains: brown rice, oats, bran, barley Fruit: bananas, mango Fish: tuna, trout, salmon Veg: avocado, watercress, cauliflower, cabbage, peppers, squash, asparagus, bok choy, potatoes Meat: chicken, pork loin, turkey Beans and pulses: lima beans, soy beans, chickpeas Seeds: sunflower seeds
	Vitamin C	Veg: red pepper, red cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale, celery, squash, cabbage, watercress Fresh fruit: strawberries, oranges, tangerines, kiwi, cantaloupe, papaya, cranberries, pineapple
	Folic Acid	Veg: spinach, lettuce, asparagus, beetroot, savoy cabbage, bok choi, broccoli, green peas, fresh parsley, brussels sprouts, avocados, cauliflower Fish: cod, tuna, salmon, halibut, shrimp Meat: calf's liver, turkey Nuts and seeds: peanuts, sesame seeds, hazelnuts, cashews, walnuts Beans and pulses: lentils, chickpeas, black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans Fruit: oranges
	Magnesium	Veg: spinach, watercress, avocado, peppers, broccoli, brussels sprouts, green cabbage, watercress Nuts and seeds: almonds, brazil nuts, cashews, peanuts, macadamias, pistachios, walnuts, pecan, pumpkin, sunflower and poppy seeds Wholegrains: oatmeal, bran, long grain rice, buckwheat, barley, quinoa Dairy: plain yoghurt Beans and pulses: baked beans Fruit: banana, kiwi, blackberries, strawberries, oranges, raisins Sweet: chocolate
	Selenium	Wholegrains: wheat germ, brewers yeast Meat: calf liver, turkey breast Fish: cod, tuna, halibut, salmon, shrimp Veg: mushrooms, garlic, spinach Nuts: brazil nuts Beans and pulses: tofu Wholegrains: barley, rye, oats, long grain brown rice Dairy: mozzarella cheese Seeds: mustard, sunflower
	Zinc	Seafood/fish: oysters, mussels, shrimp Cereals: fortified breakfast cereal Nuts: cashews, walnuts, almonds Dairy: mozzarella, Swiss cheese, cheddar cheese, low fat yoghurt Beans and pulses: chickpeas, kidney beans, baked beans, lima beans, lentils, miso Meat: chicken (dark meat), turkey, lamb, pork, mince beef Seeds: pumpkin, sesame Veg: spinach, mushrooms, squash, asparagus, broccoli Fruit: blackberries, kiwi
	Omega 3 fatty acids	Fish: Salmon, sardines, mackerel, scallops, fresh tuna, halibut, shrimp, cod, trout Seeds: Flaxseed Nuts: Walnuts
	Tryptophan	Lean meat: Skinless turkey, skinless chicken Dairy: plain yoghurt, milk, eggs, cheddar, gruyere, swiss cheese, cottage cheese Nuts: almonds, pistachios, pecan, hazelnuts, peanuts/soy nuts Seeds: poppy, pumpkin, sesame seeds Beans and pulses: lentils, chick peas (hummus), kidney, lima beans, soya Veg: spinach, watercress, cabbage
	Tyrosine	Lean meat: turkey, tuna, chicken liver, beef liver Dairy: cheddar, stilton, boursault, camembert, emmenthal, gruyere, mozzarella, parmesan, swiss cheeses, sour cream Veg: avocados, green beans, tofu, miso soup, soy sauce, spinach, yeast extract (Marmiteetc) Fruit: bananas, tinned figs, plums, raisins, tomatoes, prunes
	GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid)	Wholegrains

Poor Memory	Vitamin B5	Wholegrains: oats, brown rice, wheatgerm, bran, brown bread Dairy: yoghurt Fruits: watermelon, blackberries, lemons, raspberries, strawberries Veg: broccoli, watercress, cauliflower, alfalfa sprouts, peas, carrots, celery, avocados, sweet potatoes, mushrooms Beans and pulses: broad beans, chick peas
	Vitamin B6	Wholegrains: brown rice, oats, bran, barley Fruit: bananas, mango Fish: tuna, trout, salmon Veg: avocado, watercress, cauliflower, cabbage, peppers, squash, asparagus, bok choy, potatoes Meat: chicken, pork loin, turkey Beans and pulses: lima beans, soy beans, chickpeas Seeds: sunflower seeds
	Vitamin B12	Meat: calf liver, chicken, turkey, lamb Fish/seafood: salmon, halibut, bass, tuna, shrimp, trout, oysters, crab, clams Dairy: cottage cheese, low fat yoghurt, boiled or poached eggs, milk
	Omega 3 fatty acids	Fish: Salmon, sardines, mackerel, scallops, fresh tuna, halibut, shrimp, cod, trout Seeds: Flaxseed Nuts: Walnuts

Irritability	Vitamin B6	Wholegrains: brown rice, oats, bran, barley Fruit: bananas, mango Fish: tuna, trout, salmon Veg: avocado, watercress, cauliflower, cabbage, peppers, squash, asparagus, bok choy, potatoes Meat: chicken, pork loin, turkey Beans and pulses: lima beans, soy beans, chickpeas Seeds: sunflower seeds
	Magnesium	Veg: spinach, watercress, avocado, peppers, broccoli, brussels sprouts, green cabbage, watercress Nuts and seeds: almonds, brazil nuts, cashews, peanuts, macadamias, pistachios, walnuts, pecan, pumpkin, sunflower and poppy seeds Wholegrains: oatmeal, bran, long grain rice, buckwheat, barley, quinoa Dairy: plain yoghurt Beans and pulses: baked beans Fruit: banana, kiwi, blackberries, strawberries, oranges, raisins Sweet: chocolate
	Selenium	Wholegrains: wheat germ, brewers yeast Meat: calf liver, turkey breast Fish: cod, tuna, halibut, salmon, shrimp Veg: mushrooms, garlic, spinach Nuts: brazil nuts Beans and pulses: tofu Wholegrains: barley, rye, oats, long grain brown rice Dairy: mozzarella cheese Seeds: mustard, sunflower

Stress	Vitamin B6	Wholegrains: brown rice, oats, bran, barley Fruit: bananas, mango Fish: tuna, trout, salmon Veg: avocado, watercress, cauliflower, cabbage, peppers, squash, asparagus, bok choy, potatoes Meat: chicken, pork loin, turkey Beans and pulses: lima beans, soy beans, chickpeas Seeds: sunflower seeds
	Vitamin B3	Wholegrains: brown rice, rice bran, wheatgerm Veg: broccoli, mushrooms, cabbage, brussels sprouts, courgette, squash Nuts: peanuts Meat: beef liver, beef kidney, pork, turkey, chicken Fish: tuna, salmon Seeds: sunflower seeds
	Magnesium	Veg: spinach, watercress, avocado, peppers, broccoli, brussels sprouts, green cabbage, watercress Nuts and seeds: almonds, brazil nuts, cashews, peanuts, macadamias, pistachios, walnuts, pecan, pumpkin, sunflower and poppy seeds Wholegrains: oatmeal, bran, long grain rice, buckwheat, barley, quinoa Dairy: plain yoghurt Beans and pulses: baked beans Fruit: banana, kiwi, blackberries, strawberries, oranges, raisins Sweet: chocolate

Confusion	Vitamin B12	Meat: calf liver, chicken, turkey, lamb Fish/seafood: salmon, halibut, bass, tuna, shrimp, trout, oysters, crab, clams Dairy: cottage cheese, low fat yoghurt, boiled or poached eggs, milk
	Zinc	Seafood/fish: oysters, mussels, shrimp Cereals: fortified breakfast cereal Nuts: cashews, walnuts, almonds Dairy: mozzarella, Swiss cheese, cheddar cheese, low fat yoghurt Beans and pulses: chickpeas, kidney beans, baked beans, lima beans, lentils, miso Meat: chicken (dark meat), turkey, lamb, pork, mince beef Seeds: pumpkin, sesame Veg: spinach, mushrooms, squash, asparagus, broccoli Fruit: blackberries, kiwi

Insomnia	Magnesium	Veg: spinach, watercress, avocado, peppers, broccoli, brussels sprouts, green cabbage, watercress Nuts and seeds: almonds, brazil nuts, cashews, peanuts, macadamias, pistachios, walnuts, pecan, pumpkin, sunflower and poppy seeds Wholegrains: oatmeal, bran, long grain rice, buckwheat, barley, quinoa Dairy: plain yoghurt Beans and pulses: baked beans Fruit: banana, kiwi, blackberries, strawberries, oranges, raisins Sweet: chocolate

Blank mind	Zinc	Seafood/fish: oysters, mussels, shrimp Cereals: fortified breakfast cereal Nuts: cashews, walnuts, almonds Dairy: mozzarella, Swiss cheese, cheddar cheese, low fat yoghurt Beans and pulses: chickpeas, kidney beans, baked beans, lima beans, lentils, miso Meat: chicken (dark meat), turkey, lamb, pork, mince beef Seeds: pumpkin, sesame Veg: spinach, mushrooms, squash, asparagus, broccoli Fruit: blackberries, kiwi

Loss of appetite	Zinc	Seafood/fish: oysters, mussels, shrimp Cereals: fortified breakfast cereal Nuts: cashews, walnuts, almonds Dairy: mozzarella, Swiss cheese, cheddar cheese, low fat yoghurt Beans and pulses: chickpeas, kidney beans, baked beans, lima beans, lentils, miso Meat: chicken (dark meat), turkey, lamb, pork, mince beef Seeds: pumpkin, sesame Veg: spinach, mushrooms, squash, asparagus, broccoli Fruit: blackberries, kiwi

Lack of motivation	Zinc	Seafood/fish: oysters, mussels, shrimp Cereals: fortified breakfast cereal Nuts: cashews, walnuts, almonds Dairy: mozzarella, Swiss cheese, cheddar cheese, low fat yoghurt Beans and pulses: chickpeas, kidney beans, baked beans, lima beans, lentils, miso Meat: chicken (dark meat), turkey, lamb, pork, mince beef Seeds: pumpkin, sesame Veg: spinach, mushrooms, squash, asparagus, broccoli Fruit: blackberries, kiwi
	Tyrosine	Lean meat: turkey, tuna, chicken liver, beef liver Dairy: cheddar, stilton, boursault, camembert, emmenthal, gruyere, mozzarella, parmesan, swiss cheeses, sour cream Veg: avocados, green beans, tofu, miso soup, soy sauce, spinach, yeast extract (Marmiteetc) Fruit: bananas, tinned figs, plums, raisins, tomatoes, prunes

Disclaimer

This information is intended as a guide only. Some foods may cause allergic reactions. If you have any dietary concerns or feel you may be anxious or depressed or experiencing any other mental health problem, you should consult your GP or medical advisor.

Download the Nutrients table (PDF file, 146KB)

Food and Mood Diary

Our printable food and mood diary will help you understand how the way you feel is affected by what you drink and eat.

Food and Mood diary (PDF file, 130KB)

Podcasts

Audio guides to help you improve your mental health through a better diet.

Mentally Healthy Recipes

Download recipes from our Feeding Minds guide, including dishes by Anthony Worrall Thompson and other celebrities.

Mentally Healthy Recipes (PDF file, 1.63MB)

Nutrients Table

What we eat affects our mental health. Good nutrition can be just as important for our minds as it is for our bodies.

Are you experiencing…?

Your diet may lack

Foods which contain these nutrients

Anxiety

Poor Concentration & Attention

Depression

Poor Memory

Irritability

Stress

Confusion

Insomnia

Blank mind

Loss of appetite

Lack of motivation

Disclaimer

Food and Mood Diary

Podcasts

Mentally Healthy Recipes