Issue 10: Carbs & Mental Health: 4 Evidence-Based Reasons You Need Them

Why carbohydrates are essential for mood, energy, and overall mental health

Hello!

There is no doubt that you haven’t come across someone who is trying to limit their carbohydrate intake at one point or another, maybe it was even you. And this has become so common because of the reputation that carbohydrates have surrounding weight and health, but also, in the world of mental health.  

Carbohydrates are often blamed for energy crashes, mood swings, and poor health in general. So today, we are going to myth-bust some of those thoughts around carbs.  

Carbs are vital to the body, especially for brain function, emotion regulation, and for overall well-being.

Today, I want to highlight four key reasons why carbohydrates are so important for mental health. As a Registered Dietitian in private practice, this comes up often.

🎥 Short Watch: Carbs & Mental Health: 4 Evidence-Based Reasons You & Your Clients Need Them

Why carbohydrates are so important for the brain:

1. Fuel for the Brain 

Carbohydrates, in the form of glucose, are the brain’s preferred fuel source. This means that when we accidentally or intentionally undernourish our brain of carbs, you may experience brain fog, irritability, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, and even headaches.

It is true that the body can adapt to use other fuel sources if needed. However, since glucose is the brain’s preferred fuel source, most people feel better with a consistent intake of carbohydrates throughout the day.

2. Supporting Serotonin Production

When we think of neurotransmitters that support mental health, one of the first that comes to mind is serotonin. Another benefit of carbohydrates is that they help support serotonin production — often called the “feel-good” neurotransmitter. Serotonin is considered the “feel-good” neurotransmitter because it has been associated with improved mood, reduced anxiety, better sleep, and improved emotion regulation.

The science behind this:

When we eat carbohydrates, they are digested and broken down into glucose, which is released into the bloodstream. In the presence of glucose, insulin is released to help move that energy into the body’s cells. Insulin also helps shuttle amino acids (from protein) into muscle tissue, which allows more tryptophan to enter the brain. Tryptophan is the precursor to serotonin.

So, when we want to support a more stable mood, cutting carbs is not the answer. Instead, we want them included as part of balanced meals and snacks throughout the day.

3. Energy, Blood Sugar Stability, and Improved Emotion Regulation

When we talk about carbs, most people think about energy spikes and crashes. And it’s true — this can happen if we eat carbohydrates on their own. However, when we partner carbs with slower-digesting foods (protein, dietary fats, and high-fiber foods), we maximize the energy we get from carbohydrates in a longer-lasting way.

When blood sugar spikes and crashes, we often see mood instability, irritability, increased symptoms of anxiety, stronger cravings, and energy crashes. This is not a reason to eliminate carbohydrates — it’s a reason to balance them.

When you include carbohydrates as part of a partnered snack (e.g., crackers and cheese) or a balanced meal (e.g., stir fry with shrimp or chicken and rice), you get longer-lasting energy and improved emotion regulation.

Stable blood sugar = stable mood.

4. Improved Gut Health

Our gut microbiome (the healthy bacteria in our digestive system) needs a variety of carbohydrates to stay healthy. Gut bacteria feed on fiber that comes from grains, starches, fruits, vegetables, and other carbohydrate-containing foods.

When the gut is healthy, we often see reduced inflammation, increased neurotransmitter production, and improved stress resilience.

While we’ve long known that carbohydrates fuel the brain and body, we now understand that they also support long-term brain health through the gut-brain connection.

Instead of fearing carbohydrates, we should reframe the conversation around how to use carbs to our advantage.

Carbohydrates fuel the brain, support neurotransmitter and serotonin production, stabilize mood through blood sugar balance, and nourish the gut-brain connection.v

💬 ASK:

Your Clients:

Are they low energy and struggling with emotion regulation? Check in on what they’ve eaten that day. Are they eating carbohydrates a few times throughout the day? Are they usually pairing them with protein, fat, or fiber?

Yourself:

How do you include carbohydrates in your day? Are they partnered and balanced?

Check out this blog post for more Carby Science:

The Ultimate Guide to Carbohydrates

Thank you for joining us for this issue of Nutrition for Mental Health. We always value your perspective. Feel free to reply with any thoughts, questions, or experiences you’d like to share

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