09/25/2025
How Depression Changes What You Crave (And What To Do About It)
When your mood dips, your cravings may shift in ways that make it harder to feel better. Ever notice how stress or sadness has you reaching for comfort foods, and not usually broccoli? Science suggests that this isn’t just a lack of willpower.
Recent research suggests that depression alters food preferences, driving people toward high-fat foods and away from fiber-rich options. (Here's the research study: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/psychological-medicine/article/altered-food-liking-in-depression-is-driven-by-macronutrient-composition/36E340E9A97B4AE701377801410B8D5D )
Researchers studied nearly 3,000 adults, and compared to people without depression, those with depression reported a 23 percent higher preference for high-fat foods (especially those rich in saturated fats) and a 16 percent lower preference for fiber-packed foods like vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.
This shift in taste could help explain why nutrition and mood are so closely linked. The researchers believe depression changes how the brain’s reward system responds to specific macronutrients, creating cycles where craving high-fat foods can worsen mood, while avoiding fiber-rich foods removes a key source of nutrients that support gut and brain health. Importantly, because this was a cross-sectional study, we don’t know if depression caused the preference changes or if certain eating patterns increase depression risk.
Here’s the good news: awareness is the first step toward breaking the cycle. If you know that low mood may steer you toward foods that make you feel worse in the long term, you can plan ahead.
Whether you’re suffering from depression or not, here are a few simple ways to help keep your eating in check by making your kitchen more nutrition-friendly.
Start by stocking up on fiber-rich foods (berries, oats, lentils, beans), so they’re available when cravings hit. Swap saturated fats for mood-supporting omega-3s from salmon, walnuts, or flaxseed. As a bonus, pair fiber with flavor by adding protein, roasting vegetables with spices, adding fruit to yogurt, or blending greens into a smoothie. All can make healthier options more appealing.
