Q: Is it true that the Mediterranean diet may have mental health benefits in addition to physical benefits? Does drinking wine have an impact on any of those potential benefits?—Trevor, Cherry Hill, N.J.
A: It's true! According to a new meta-analysis published in Molecular Psychiatry, a team of U.K.-based researchers looked at 41 previous studies and found that adults who adhered to the Mediterranean diet—emphasizing fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, legumes, seafood, olive oil and moderate wine consumption, and avoiding meat and dairy products—were 33 percent less likely to develop depressive symptoms or clinical depression. While other factors may be at play when it comes to diet and mental health (loss of appetite and other eating disorders are frequently associated with depression), the researchers' findings open the door to new paths of investigation.
The Mediterranean diet has been shown to have other neuroprotective properties as well, potentially reducing cognitive decline associated with aging. As for how wine might impact our mental health, multiple studies have shown an inverse relationship between moderate wine consumption and depression. A 2015 study found that the red-wine compound resveratrol may mitigate depression-related behaviors, and in 2013, researchers found that moderate wine drinkers were nearly one-third less likely to suffer from depression. In 2012, a Spanish study on depression found that women in particular may benefit from a daily glass of wine.
More important than these potential benefits, however, is to note that alcohol is a depressant, and wine is not a cure for depression. In fact, over-consumption of alcohol is often a symptom of depression. Talk to your physician about whether or not wine should be a part of your mentally healthy diet.
