How does food affect mood? By Jim McCutcheon Many people are 1(seeked, seeking) to take control of their mental health using self-help, and 2(to find, finds) approaches they can use alongside, or even instead of, prescribed medication. One self-help strategy 3(are, is) to make changes to what we eat, and there is a growing interest in how food and nutrition can 4(affecting, affect) emotional and mental health. Scientific evidence 5(to back, back) this up is developing, but there are many challenges for scientists to overcome and, in the meantime, some medical practitioners remain unconvinced of the link between food and mood. Nevertheless, positive responses from individuals who have 6(make, made) changes to their diet confirm the importance of food and nutrition for maintaining or improving their emotional and mental health. There 7(is, are) many explanations for the cause-and-effect relationship between food and mood. The following are some examples. Fluctuations in blood sugar levels are 8(associated, associating) with changes in mood and energy, and are affected by what we eat. Brain chemicals influence the way we think, feel and behave. They can be 9(affected, affecting) by what we've eaten. There can be abnormal reactions to artificial chemicals in foods, such as artificial colourings and flavourings. There are reactions that can be due to the deficiency of an enzyme needed to digest a food. Lactase, for instance, is 10(needed, need) to digest lactose (milk sugar). Without it, a milk intolerance can build up. People can become hypersensitive to foods. This can 11(causing, cause) what are 12(knowing, known) as delayed or hidden food allergies or sensitivities. Low levels of vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids can affect mental health, with some symptoms associated with particular nutritional deficiencies.