Research Links Processed Foods To Depression

 Yes, we have known for a while that processed foods–refined carbohydrates — such as those found in white bread, white rice and sodas — can make us fat. Now, researchers at Columbia University tells us that they may also make us glum. HealthDay reports that when researchers at the school studied nutrition and mental health records of about 70,000 women between the ages of 50 and 79, they found that the more refined sugars a woman ate, the higher her blood sugar levels and the greater her risk for a bout of depression. And now the good news: the researchers also found that women who consumed diets higher in vegetables, fruits and whole grains had a lower incidence of depression. OK. What’s left to ponder is whether processed foods contribute to depression, or if women who are at risk for depression simply choose processed foods. And the answer is: more research is needed.