On a weary weekday evening in Delhi, 27-year-old Sourav Kumar returns home from work and reaches for a bowl of warm khichdi with potato fritters and a spoonful of mango pickle. “I don’t know if it’s psychology or science,” he shrugs, “but this meal always lifts my mood.”
On most days, we eat to survive. But often, especially when life gets loud, we eat to feel. “I crave chocolate every time I’m close to my period,” says Gayatri Sinha (name changed), 29.
“It’s strongly tied to mood states and doesn’t abide by hunger or fullness cues. In contrast, nutritional cravings arise gradually and are more body-focused – they often reflect physiological needs, like an iron deficiency prompting red meat cravings,” says Dr Vasundara Padma SNC, chief registered dietitian at Apollo Hospitals, Visakhapatnam.
From gut microbes to hormonal shifts, nutritionists across India are seeing food as a powerful tool in emotional regulation. And while ‘mood foods’ have become a wellness buzzword, their grounding lies not in marketing trends but in decades of biology, culture, and memory.
Your gut, your mood
“Think of your gut as your second brain,” says Pooja Udeshi, consultant sports nutritionist at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Mumbai. “When it’s healthy, your brain usually feels calmer and more stable too,” she adds.
The gut-brain axis, she explains, is a two-way communication system that runs via nerves, hormones, and the chemicals produced by the 100 trillion microbes in your gastrointestinal tract. “Many of these microbes produce neurotransmitters like serotonin… about 90% of it is made in the gut!” Udeshi says, adding: “When your gut is inflamed, imbalanced, or undernourished, it can directly impact mood, leading to anxiety, brain fog, orlow energy.”
Udeshi breaks down mood-regulating nutrients with elegant clarity. “Certain nutrients are raw materials for making mood-related neurotransmitters,” she says. tryptophan (from curd, dal, rajma, sesame seeds) is a precursor to serotonin, tyrosine (found in paneer, soy, pumpkin seeds) feeds dopamine production, magnesium in spinach, sesame and ragi has a calming effect and reduces anxiety, B-vitamins from bananas, sprouts, methi, and chana help neurotransmitter function, and Omega-3s from flaxseed and walnuts support brain function and lower inflammation.
“There’s growing evidence, especially in clinical nutrition and psychiatry, supporting causation,” she says. “Omega-3s, B-vitamins, and complex carbs all have strong links to better mood. Supplements are even used in adjunct depression treatment,” she adds. However, “Nutrition supports, but does not replace mental health care,” she cautions.
Creamy, crunchy, comforting
While nutrients affect the brain, texture touches something deeper – a memory, a ritual, one’s childhood. “The sensory experience of food, its texture, temperature, aroma, and mouthfeel, can strongly influence emotional states,” says Dr Padma. “Being aware of this connection allows for healthier substitutions,” Dr Padma adds. “Greek yoghurt over ice cream for creaminess, or crunchy vegetables over chips. Tuning into mouthfeel preferences can help align taste satisfaction with health.”
Udeshi echoes the idea: “People report feeling calm after warm, soft foods like khichdi or soups; energised after crunchy, fresh textures like raw veggies. Certain textures offer sensory comfort, especially during anxiety.”
Hormones & hunger
“Hormonal changes during PMS and menopause significantly impact mood and food cravings in women,” says Dr Padma. “Pre-menstrual hormonal shifts often lead to cravings for carbohydrate-rich and sugary foods, sometimes as a coping mechanism to temporarily increase serotonin and stabilise mood.”
For example, 28-year-old Srijita Dey (name changed), a writer living away from her hometown in the capital, prefers plain mushy food during periods. “For the first couple of days, I prefer bland food as it is comforting and reminds me of home, of my mother. I go back to spicy items after the third day,” she says, adding: “Also, I think the ghee helps in soothing my cramps.”
During menopause, Dr Padma says, declining oestrogen can trigger irritability, anxiety, sleep disturbances, and comfort cravings. “Research backs the use of nutrition to help regulate these shifts,” she adds. “Complex carbs like oats, magnesium-rich foods like leafy greens, and omega-3 sources like fatty fish may help reduce symptoms. Foods with phytoestrogens, such as soy, can also offer natural hormonal support.”
Food isn’t a sole remedy, but it’s powerful. “Nutritional strategies can complement other lifestyle adjustments like movement, rest, and mindfulness,” she says.
The age factor
Different life stages demand different emotional nutrition. “Teenagers often experience emotional instability fueled by hormonal changes and social pressures,” says Dr Padma, adding: “Their eating patterns may reflect this, with increased cravings for
fast food or sugar during stress or exhaustion.”
In contrast, she says, “Older adults may face appetite changes driven by slower metabolism, medication side effects, or loneliness. Their focus often shifts to nutrient-dense foods for managing chronic conditions.” Whether it’s peer pressure in teens or isolation in seniors, the emotional function of food persists. “Recognising these differences helps tailor support. Food guidance should align with physical and emotional development,” she adds.
Wellness & worries
Both experts acknowledge the rise of mood-food marketing and its potential downsides. “Yes, the rise of mood-food marketing and the wellness industry’s focus on ‘clean’ eating can unintentionally encourage disordered eating patterns,” says Dr Padma.
For those with anxious or perfectionist tendencies, this can spiral. “The quest to eat ‘perfectly’ clean may crowd out flexibility and enjoyment,” she warns. “I strive to counter these trends by promoting variety over rigidity, and empowering clients to make intuitive choices rather than fear-based ones.” Udeshi calls the trend a “mixed bag”—helpful when it encourages real foods, nuts, fruits, fermented dishes, but cautions against dopamine bars and serotonin smoothies sold as miracle fixes. “Real mood support comes from consistent habits, not one magical food,” she says.
Udeshi offers a simple, mood-supportive meal built on Indian staples: “Roti + methi sabzi + dal + curd + 1 tsp ghee + banana = gut and brain nourishment.” Her budget-friendly pantry list is equally practical: Brown rice, millets, rajma, moong, chana, sesame, flax, pumpkin seeds, groundnuts, ghee, bananas, spinach, curd, and buttermilk.
But what to limit? “Processed sugar, skipping meals, ultra-processed snacks, too much caffeine, and low protein intake, these all worsen mood by disrupting gut health and blood sugar,” she warns. Some studies have also shown a link between high-sugar intake with depression.
As per one study conducted by UK Biobank, 2,746 cases of depressive symptoms and 2,202 cases of anxiety symptoms were recorded with a distinct dietary pattern. The culprit was high intake of chocolate and confectionery, butter, high-fat cheese, added sugars, along with low intakes of fresh fruits and vegetables.
It’s not just food. It’s a feeling, right? We don’t eat nutrients, we eat memories, rituals, remedies. Whether it’s a warm methi paratha in winter or a spoonful of creamy strawberry-flavoured yoghurt, the science of mood foods lies not just in the gut or the brain, but in the deep, intuitive knowledge that food can hold us, calm us, when words cannot.