Health Check: How Food Affects Mood and Mood Affects Food (Op-Ed)	This article was originally published at  The Conversation.  The publication contributed the article to Live Science's  Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights.	Eating good food promotes overall health and well-being but what you eat may also impact how you feel. Research suggests that not only can the food you eat affect your mood but that your mood may influence the foods you choose to consume.	Enjoying a wide variety of vegetables fruits nuts seeds wholegrain cereals legumes low-fat dairy lean meat and oily fish for instance is associated with  reductions in mood swings depression and anxiety.    	And the opposite holds  for a diet based on foods high in refined sugar (think lollies) one that combines high levels of sugar and fat (cakes for instance or pastries) or involves high intakes of caffeine or alcohol.	Basically the nutrients found in healthy foods appear to work together to  cause the brain to produce  the feel-good hormone € serotonin which is associated with improved mood and feelings of relaxation.	And eating foods that maintain a steady blood-sugar level within the appropriate range such as wholegrain cereals helps to stabilise mood. But how does your mood affect the foods you select?	Results of research on the connection between food selection and poor mood are  reasonably consistent   ˆ� people in a negative frame of mind are more likely to choose sugary fatty or salty   indulgence or comfort   foods rather than nutritious ones.	Indulgence foods may boost energy and  improve mood in the short term  but these positive effects are usually fleeting. For some people such effects can often be followed by guilt (because we know those foods aren  t good for us) and a consequent drop in mood. This can  trigger more bad eating  and set up a vicious circle.	Better ways of overcoming negative thoughts include exercising which has been shown to  improve mood by reducing anxiety and stress or doing fun things such as watching a film listening to music or visiting friends. Such activities not only enhance mood but also  assist with controlling indulgence food intake.	The connection between food selection and positive mood (if there is one) is still unclear.	Research suggests people in a good mood are  more likely to prefer nutritious foods  that are low in sugar salt and fat and to focus on the long-term benefits of these healthy foods. But other studies point to the potential for people in a good mood  consuming comfort foods or overeating.	There  also evidence suggesting  some people in a positive mood are more likely to choose healthy foods if they feel their good mood is going to last. If not they may be more likely to choose indulgence foods to sustain positive feelings.	Other research indicates  that regardless of mood long-term future-focused thinking can lead to healthier food choices. And there  s evidence for gender differences in the effects of mood on consumption of comfort foods.	One study found  that women are more likely to eat indulgence foods when they  re feeling depressed lonely or guilty. While men are more likely to turn to soups pasta and steaks as a reward when they  re feeling upbeat.	Clearly these relationships are complicated but which is likely to be the stronger driver   mood or food? In other words does the consumption of particular foods lead to mood changes or is our mood generally the predominant factor in determining the food we choose to eat?	Research suggests  the foods we consume may be of paramount importance and that what  s eaten today may affect mood a couple of days later.	This association was stronger for negative moods so consumption of excessive energy (kilojoules) saturated fat and sodium was associated with a worse mood two days later.	The association between  eating fruits and vegetables  one day and being in a positive mood the next day was stronger for men but mood was lifted in both men and women after they ate vegetables.	What then can we conclude from the current evidence about the relationship between food and mood?	Well research has highlighted some interesting (and complex!) relationships that we  re only now starting to tease out. What we can say with confidence is that eating a well-balanced diet may confer not only physical health benefits but also better mental health through improved mood.	Kate Flinders is a member of the Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA) and as a member of this association she is accredited as an Accredited Practising Dietitan (APD) and Accredited Nutritionist (AN).	Chris Forbes-Ewan receives funding from the NHMRC.	This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the  original article. Follow all of the Expert Voices issues and debates  and become part of the discussion  on Facebook Twitter and Google +. The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. This version of the article was originally published on Live Science.