Nutrition and Mental Health in Black Women: What’s Missing From Your Plate May Be Impacting Your Mood

The link between nutrition and mental health in Black women and how to shift what you eat to support your peace of mind.

Let’s talk about something that’s too often overlooked in mental health conversations, especially for Black women:

🧠 Nutritional deficiencies in vitamin D, omega-3s, and magnesium are linked to higher rates of anxiety and depression in Black women.

Not stress.

Not trauma.

Not just “trying to do too much.”

We’re talking about missing nutrients. And it matters. Why? Because what you eat doesn’t just fuel your body, it feeds your brain. And when key nutrients are missing from your plate, the effects can show up in your mood, energy, focus, sleep, and mental clarity.

📉 Nutrition and Mental Health Gaps in Black Women

Here’s what we know from the evidence-based research:

• Black women are more likely to experience anxiety and depression, yet less likely to be diagnosed or treated (Ward et al., 2013).
  

• At the same time, Black adults, especially women, are more likely to be deficient in vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, and magnesium (Jackson & Compton, 2021; Holick, 2007).

This combination creates a dangerous cycle:

• Fatigue.

• Mood swings.

• Irritability.

• Brain fog.

• Emotional burnout.

The kicker? You can’t “positive vibes” your way out of a nutritional deficiency.

And if your body doesn’t have the nutrients it needs to regulate your mood, no amount of journaling or deep breathing will fully fix it.

🔍 What These Nutrients Do (And Why You Might Be Low)

Let’s break it down:

✅ Vitamin D:

Known as the "sunshine vitamin," it’s critical for mood regulation and immune health.

• Why you might be deficient:

  Darker skin produces less vitamin D from sun exposure. Indoor jobs, sunscreen use, and limited outdoor time make it worse.

• What it helps with:

  Better emotional balance, fewer mood dips, stronger immune response.

✅ Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Found in fatty fish and some seeds, omega-3s reduce inflammation and support brain health.

• Why you might be deficient:

  Western diets are heavy in processed fats, low in fatty fish like salmon or sardines.

• What it helps with:

  Calmer stress response, improved memory and focus, reduced anxiety symptoms.

  
  

✅ Magnesium

An underrated mineral that regulates the nervous system, supports sleep, and balances hormones.

• Why you might be deficient:

  Processed foods, stress, caffeine, and sugar all deplete magnesium stores.

• What it helps with:

  Relaxation, deeper sleep, clearer thinking, lower stress sensitivity.

🧠 The Cultural Gap No One Talks About

Many of us grew up in homes where mental health was brushed off with:

“Just pray about it.”

“Girl, you just tired.”

“Go take a nap, you’ll feel better.”

But what if your exhaustion wasn't just in your head? What if it was in your food? Or more accurately, what your food was missing?

...We always say food is fuel. But for us, food was also survival. We ate what filled us up, not what fueled our mental health. Once we started understanding how nutrients affect mood and energy, everything shifted. -Eric & Maleka Beal, Founders of BetterChoices

🧩 This Isn’t About Being Perfect. It’s About Having a Plan

You don’t need to track every nutrient or become a supplement expert.

What you need is structure, the kind that helps you eat consistently, with the right nutrients, in ways that support your life.

✅ 3 Simple Nutrition Shifts to Support Your Mental Health

1. Add Omega-3s 2–3 Times a Week

Start with fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, or tuna. Not into seafood? Add ground flaxseed or chia to smoothies or oatmeal.

→ Bonus tip: Keep frozen salmon burgers or canned tuna in rotation for easy meals.

2. Boost Your Vitamin D With Intentional Exposure + Food

Spend 10–15 minutes outside (arms and face exposed) when possible. Add vitamin D-rich foods like eggs, fortified milk, mushrooms, or salmon.

→ Ask your provider to check your vitamin D levels at your next appointment. Many Black women benefit from supplements.

3. Incorporate Magnesium-Rich Foods Daily

Think leafy greens, pumpkin seeds, almonds, black beans, or even dark chocolate.

→ Try this: Add spinach to your morning eggs, snack on trail mix with nuts/seeds, or enjoy sautéed greens with dinner.

💚 Better Food = Better Mood = BetterChoices

If your mental health has felt off lately, low motivation, stress, fatigue, sadness, you’re not alone.

And you’re not broken. You might just need to shift what’s on your plate.

📲 Download the BetterChoices app for recipes, food guides, and real structure to help you support your health, mentally and physically. Because it’s not about doing more. It’s about doing what works.

References

• Holick, M. F. (2007). Vitamin D deficiency. New England Journal of Medicine, 357(3), 266-281.

  
  

• Ward, E., Wiltshire, J. C., Detry, M. A., & Brown, R. L. (2013). African American men and women's attitude toward mental illness, perceptions of stigma, and preferred coping behaviors. Nursing Research, 62(3), 185–194.

  
  

• Jackson, M. L., & Compton, M. T. (2021). Dietary intake and mental health among Black Americans: A review of recent findings. Current Psychiatry Reports, 23(7), 1–8.