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Mediterranean food is, no doubt, exceptionally good. Not only that, it also has a lot of health benefits, which is why some people adhere to a diet built around it. However, beyond physical health and fitness, a Mediterranean diet brings mental health benefits.

In a new study, researchers found that aside from providing physical health benefits, a Mediterranean diet also improves mental health, particularly in patients diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD.

The brain and gut relationship

The researchers proposed that studying the relationship between the brain and the gut will help provide insights into the connection between physical and mental health. Co-corresponding authors Yang-Yu Liu and Karestan Koenen explained that understanding this relationship will help lead to better recommendations for alleviating the consequences of PTSD.

They studied the stool samples of 191 participants composed of three groups -- 44 who exhibited PTSD symptoms, 119 who were exposed to trauma but did not have PTSD and 28 without trauma exposure. They then found that those who followed a Mediterranean diet generally experienced fewer PTSD symptoms. The study showed that the consumption of red and processed meat was associated with an increase in PTSD symptoms, while the consumption of plant-based food was associated with a decrease in PTSD symptoms.

The findings can be related to an earlier study from 2020, where pathology professor at Wake Forest University School of Medicine Carol Shively and her team explored how a Mediterranean diet could protect against exaggerated stress in monkeys. Although Shively's team did not focus on PTSD, she used their study to hypothesize that if this could be related to PTSD, a Mediterranean diet would help eliminate damaging and horrific stress responses.