Can I eat smart?: Nutrition researcher says what influence food has on the psyche
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The effects of our diet on physical health are widely known. But how does food affect our psyche and mental performance? Uwe Knop, evidence-focused nutritionist, provides answers to these and other questions.
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Does food have an influence on the psyche?
Yes, enough food and an enjoyable, satisfying diet definitely have an influence on the psyche – and a very strong one. Practical life itself shows that diet has a significant effect on mood and emotional and psychological well-being.
Because an unbalanced diet that provides varied, fresh and high-quality foods and meals with which you can eat your fill with pleasure has the following effect: We feel good and satisfied after eating – especially when we feel the “comfortable “Moaning from the depths of the stomach” after we were very hungry and enjoyed really delicious food that we tolerated wonderfully.
About the expert Uwe Knop
Uwe Knop, born in 1972, is a qualified nutritionist, author, and speaker for lectures at professional associations, companies and at medical training courses. His book “Successfully lose weight and stay slim” was published by Springer-Verlag.
Which foods promote mental performance?
There are no individual foods that specifically promote our mental performance. A balanced diet that perfectly meets individual needs has the greatest impact on both mental and physical performance. If you don’t suffer from deficiency or hunger, are healthy and eat intuitively, you create the perfect culinary basis for the best possible performance on all levels.
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Can you eat smart?
No. Even if it is often advertised with supposed superfoods and better-eater hypes such as low-carb, vegan or Paleo: eating smarter is not scientifically proven, it is nothing more than a myth. This also applies to growing children whose bodies and minds are still developing.
Therefore, the appeal to all caring parents is: Don’t let yourself be fooled by meaningless “smart eating” promises. Enjoyable eating with fresh, high-quality and well-tolerated (!) foods provides the perfect foundation for clever minds.
Book recommendation (advertisement)
“Successfully lose weight and stay slim” by Uwe Knop
Can a bad mood or even depression be “eaten away”?
No. It is very important to emphasize that you cannot “eat away” depression or a bad mood with a balanced, individually tailored diet alone – no matter how “healthy” the diet is. The so-called “emotional eating” – i.e. eating without hunger out of boredom, Grief, sadness – it may be good in the short term, but it has no lasting effect, except that the more often you comfort your soul with high-calorie food, the fatter you get.
Chocolate doesn’t help either, even though it seems to be a healthy food. Depression, in particular, is a complex disorder that can have a variety of causes, including genetic, biochemical, psychological, and environmental factors. Accordingly, the treatment of depression must be “multimodal” – that is, it often requires a combination of psychological therapy, medication and a healthy lifestyle that suits you and is good for you.
Frequently asked questions on this topic
I want a bikini figure in the summer: is it worth starting to lose weight now?
With a moderately low-energy diet that perfectly suits your metabolism, lifestyle and character, you can healthily lose around two kilograms per month. So if you want to have your top size instead of a muffin top in the summer, then…
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Which diets or nutrition plans are the best for sustainable and healthy weight loss?
Diets and meal plans: None. If you really want to actively bring your heart’s desire ‘to become and stay slimmer’ to life from your deepest inner conviction, you can only achieve this through individual diet and lifestyle changes…
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Do I always have to count calories?
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How can a healthy diet contribute to weight loss?
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Uwe Knop
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