You feel stressed at work and reach for a donut. You feel sad about something that happens at home and find the potato chips. Comfort foods have a way of making us feel better – temporarily. But of course, the down side is that we have to pay for our diet mistakes one way or another, either with upset digestive systems or excess pounds. Both of those things are depressing!

If you’re trying to treat depression with food, choose your foods wisely. Here are some tips:

Go Mediterranean to fight depression  

Research suggests that the Mediterranean diet, which focuses on fish, fruits, veggies, and olive oil, can help people feel less depressed. One study of more than 10,000 people found that those who ate diets high in fish, vegetables, and olive oil were 30 percent less likely to feel depressed! Scientists believe it might be the Omega 3s in the olive oil, as well as the wide variety of vitamins and nutrients in the vegetables and fruit, that boost the mood.

So next time you’re feeling sad, skip the donut. Try adding more fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, and sardines to your diet, and don’t forget to accompany them with a salad drizzled with olive oil.

Beat depression with antioxidants

Those free radical molecules that scavenge through the body stealing nutrients and generally wreaking havoc can also affect your mood and contribute to depression. Research has shown your brain, where depression originates, is especially vulnerable to free radical damage. But you can fight back against depression with Antioxidants like beta-carotene, Vitamin E, and Vitamin C. Antioxidants neutralize those depressing free radicals at the same time they nourish your body.

If depression has been getting the best of you, eat more beta-carotene-rich fruits and veggies such as pumpkin, spinach, sweet potato, apricots, collard greens, carrots, and peaches—many orange-colored plant foods are full of beta carotene. Or pump up your Vitamin C intake to combat depression with strawberries, blueberries, kiwi, citrus fruit, tomatoes, broccoli and peppers. And don’t forget the Vitamin E rich vegetable oils, nuts, and seeds.

Fight depression with ‘good carbs’

Carbohydrates can increase the amount of serotonin in your blood, which may improve your depression for a while. In fact, if you crave carbs and feel depressed, your problem may very well be serotonin deficiency. But while candy and cake will send your blood sugar on a roller coaster ride, ending in a depression crash, the so-called “good carbs” found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes will help increase your serotonin levels slowly and steadily, without unhinging your mood.

The extra fiber in plant foods also helps regulate your digestive tract, and since most of your body’s serotonin is produced in the intestines, fiber is a depression fighter, too.

Pit protein against depression

depression can rob you of energy and make you feel groggy, which makes it hard to exercise, excel at school and work, and accomplish other things that might help you feel better. Reverse the cycle and climb back out of depression by being sure to get enough protein. Turkey, chicken, and tuna are excellent protein sources and are especially rich in the amino acid tyrosine. Tyrosine is necessary for your body to produce dopamine and norepinephrine, two depression-busting hormones.

Tyrosine’s effect on your mood hormones can leave you feeling more wide-awake and focused, which is a natural depression reliever. To add more tyrosine to your diet, eat beans, lean meats, low-fat dairy products, and soy.

Use selenium to combat depression

selenium is essential to good health and some research suggests that low selenium levels are linked to depression. But stay away from selenium supplements in your battle against depression—this potent nutrient can be toxic in high amounts, and it’s easy to overdo it when you use the pill form. However, it’s nearly impossible to get too much selenium if yours comes from the foods you eat.

Calculate your amount of daily selenium using any online nutrition guide—you should aim for 55 micrograms every day to help you beat depression. If you’re not getting enough selenium, add to your diet more beans and legumes, seafood, whole grains like brown rice and oatmeal, nuts and seeds (Brazil nuts are especially high in selenium), lean meat, and low-fat dairy.

 Sources: iVillage, WebMD, with contributions by AltMeds.com editorial staff