This Diet Was Linked To Less Psychological Distress In Just 12 Weeks
Key takeaways
- And we're not just talking about how eating a square of chocolate can boost your mood although it certainly can).
- Research in this area is still emerging, but a new pilot study1 published in the journal Nutritional Psychiatry looked at the connection between following a Mediterranean-style diet, psychological stress, and wellbeing.
- Some of the existing research in this space has taken place in tightly controlled clinical settings with participants who have diagnosed depression.
Why this matters: practical guidance grounded in recent research or expert insight.
Author: Molly Knudsen, M.S., RDNMay 23, 2026Registered Dietitian Nutritionist By Molly Knudsen, M.S., RDNRegistered Dietitian Nutritionist Molly Knudsen, M.S., RDN is a Registered Dietician Nutritionist with a bachelor’s degree in nutrition from Texas Christian University and a master’s in nutrition interventions, communication, and behavior change from Tufts University. She lives in Newport Beach, California, and enjoys connecting people to the food they eat and how it influences health and wellbeing.Image by VeaVea / StocksyMay 23, 2026What you eat has the ability to change how you feel. And we're not just talking about how eating a square of chocolate can boost your mood although it certainly can). Rather, dietary patterns over time can shape how you experience and handle stress on a day-to-day basis.
Research in this area is still emerging, but a new pilot study1 published in the journal Nutritional Psychiatry looked at the connection between following a Mediterranean-style diet, psychological stress, and wellbeing. Here's what they found, and what you need to know.
In what's being called the MoodFood pilot study, researchers set out to test whether an online, self-directed Mediterranean-style dietary intervention could meaningfully improve psychological distress and wellbeing in adults (without depression).