Korean researchers recently published an article in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, showing a connection between depression and consumption of coffee, tea, and soft drinks.
The researchers analyzed the nutrition and depression data used in 15 clinical studies published in peer-reviewed journals. The studies had a combined total of nearly 350,000 participants, which included 20,572 cases of depression. The studies were from Australia, China, Finland, Iran, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and the United States.
Here’s what they discovered.
Coffee consumption reduces depression risk
The researchers found that people who drank at least 3 cups of coffee per day had a 27% lower risk of depression than those who drank little to no coffee.
Tea consumption reduces depression risk
Regarding tea consumption, the researchers learned that those who drank at least 1 cup of tea per day had a 30% lower risk of depression. The studies focused on green tea, black tea, and oolong tea specifically, and the risk was the same for all three.
Soft drinks increase depression risk
Finally, they identified that those who drank at least one cup of soft drinks per day had a 136% higher risk of depression compared to those who drank few or no soft drinks.
This study joins a growing body of research showing a strong connection between mental health and what we consume. Here at Truehope, we’ve been promoting nutrition as mental health treatment for over 20 years.