Yes! What You Eat Does Matter

The Hidden Hunger in Our Modern Diet: How Protein Deficiency Impacts Mental Health and Eating Behaviours

In today's fast-paced world, ultra-processed foods have become a staple in many diets. While these foods are often convenient and tasty, they are contributing to a growing problem: hidden hunger. Despite consuming plenty of calories, many people are not getting enough essential nutrients, particularly protein, leading to overeating, mood imbalances, and mental health issues.

The Protein Problem: How Ultra-Processed Foods Trick Your Brain

Ultra-processed foods are designed to be hyper-palatable, activating the brain's reward system with high levels of sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats. However, these foods are often low in essential nutrients, including protein. As a result, your brain keeps signaling for more food, seeking the nutrients it needs to function optimally. This leads to a vicious cycle of overeating, binge-eating, and nutrient deficiency, known as "hidden hunger."

The Protein Leverage Hypothesis: Why Protein is Key

The Protein Leverage Hypothesis suggests that animals, including humans, prioritse protein intake over other macronutrients. When your diet is low in protein, you will be driven to consume more food overall to meet your protein needs, leading to excess calorie intake. Many processed foods are high in carbs and fats but low in protein, contributing to this imbalance.

Essential Amino Acids: The Building Blocks of Mental Health

Proteins are made up of amino acids, nine of which are considered essential because our bodies cannot produce them. These essential amino acids play crucial roles in muscle structure, metabolism, immune response, and brain function. They are also the precursors to neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, which regulate mood, anxiety, and cognitive function.

A deficiency in essential amino acids can lead to mood imbalances, increased anxiety symptoms such as intrusive, negative, and obsessive thoughts, and depression symptoms like brain fog, fatigue, and apathy. Foods rich in essential amino acids include:

• Meat, organs, poultry, fish
• Eggs
• Dairy products
• Nuts

Animal-based protein sources are particularly important as they provide essential nutrients that are difficult to obtain from plant foods alone. One such nutrient is docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an omega-3 fatty acid crucial for brain development and function. DHA is found primarily in fatty fish, such as salmon, and is not present in significant amounts in plant-based foods. Incorporating animal proteins into your diet ensures you receive a complete array of essential amino acids and vital nutrients like DHA, supporting better mental health and cognitive function.

Breaking the Cycle of Hidden Hunger and Mental Health Struggles

To combat hidden hunger, promote overall health, and support mental wellbeing, it's important to shift away from ultra-processed foods and prioritise whole, minimally processed foods that provide balanced nutrition. By consuming adequate protein and essential nutrients, you can help regulate your appetite, reduce binge-eating, stabilise your mood, and improve symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Making small changes, such as replacing processed snacks with protein-rich options like hard-boiled eggs, biltong or a handful of nuts, can make a big difference in your overall nutritional intake and mental health. Remember, your brain needs the essential nutrients found in whole foods, especially those from animal sources.

If you're struggling with overeating, binge-eating, mood imbalances, anxiety or other mental illnesses, please consider evaluating your protein intake. By prioritising this essential macronutrient and choosing high-quality animal proteins, you can take a crucial step towards better health and well-being.

Stay tuned for more insights on nutrition and mental health in our upcoming newsletters. Together, we can navigate the modern food environment and make informed choices to support our best selves, both physically and mentally.

To your health and happiness,

Perri