Relationship Of Diet And Behavior
- Aileen Fernando
- Aug 30
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 22
Diet has a significant and bi-directional relationship with behavior: the types and quality of food consumed can influence mood, cognition, and emotions, while behaviors and emotions also affect dietary choices.
How Diet Influences Behavior
Nutrient-rich diets, including omega-3 fatty acids, iron, and zinc, support brain function, stable mood, attention, and cognitive abilities, especially children and adolescents.
O'Neil A, Quirk SE, Housden S, Brennan SL, Williams LJ, Pasco JA, Berk M, Jacka FN. Relationship between diet and mental health in children and adolescents: a systematic review. Am J Public Health. 2014 Oct;104(10):e31-42. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2014.302110. PMID: 25208008; PMCID: PMC4167107. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4167107/
Poor dietary patterns-such as high intake of processed food, sugar, and artificial additives-have been associated with increased risks of behavioral issues like irritability, hyperactivity, and even depressive symptoms. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4167107/
Consistent healthy eating (like regular balanced meals and breakfast) improves emotional regulation and concentration, while skipping meals or consuming excess sugary foods can lead to a mood swings and reduced focus.
Nouriyengejeh S, Seyedhoseini B, Kordestani-Moghadam P, Pourabbasi A. The Study of Relationship between Nutritional Behaviors and Metabolic Indices: A Systematic Review. Adv Biomed Res. 2020 Oct 30;9:66. doi: 10.4103/abr.abr_12_20. PMID: 33457349; PMCID: PMC7792874. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7792874/
How Behavior and Emotion Influence Diet
Emotional states such as stress, boredom, or sadness can lead to unhealthy eating behaviors (e.g.., overeating or choosing high-calorie "comfort foods", which may, in, turn, reinforce negative mood or anxiety. AUTHOR=Ha Oh-Ryeong , Lim Seung-Lark (https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1265074/full
The pleasure-oriented decision-making process often prioritizes taste over health, leading to less healthy eating patterns and potential weight gain.
Evidence Across Age Groups
In children and adolescents, studies consistently show unhealthy diets are linked to worse mental health outcomes and behavioral challenges; conversely, better-quality diets are generally associated with better emotional and cognitive outcomes.
In adults, habitual poor diets increase the risk of depression and anxiety, whereas higher quality diets lower these risks.
Maintaining a nutrient-dense, balanced diet is essential for optimal behavioral and emotional health, while emotions and habits strongly shape food choices in daily life.
Amazing Pure Organic Barley can positively contribute to the relationship between diet and behavior due to its nutrient profile and bioactive compounds.
How Barley Affects Mood and Behavior
Antidepressant Effects: Studies indicate that barley (including barley grass and barley porridge) exhibits antidepressant-like properties in animal models and human subejcts, likely by increasing brain neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, and GABA, which are essential for mood regulation. Yamaura K, Nakayama N, Shimada M, Bi Y, Fukata H, Ueno K. Antidepressant-like effects of young green barley leaf (Hordeum vulgare L.) in the mouse forced swimming test. Pharmacognosy Res. 2012 Jan;4(1):22-6. doi: 10.4103/0974-8490.91030. PMID: 22224057; PMCID: PMC3250035. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3250035/
Serotonin Production: Barley is a source of tryptophan-an amino acid needed for the body to produce srotonin, the "feel-good" hormone which helps improve mood and reduce anxiety.
Gut-Brain Connection: Its high fiber (notably beta-dglucan) content supports healthy gut microbiota, which plays a recognized role in mood and behavior via the gut-brain axis.
Nutrients for Mental Wellness: Barley contains B-vitamin complex, iron, magnesium, and antioxidants, all known to help maintain neural health, regulate neurotransmittters, amd reduce oxidative stress-factors that influence behavioral health.
Scientific Evidence
Controlled experiments have shown that supplementation with barley grass reduced depression-like symptoms in animals and is associated with improved markers of brain health, though human clinical evidence emains limited but promising. https://www.europeanreview.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/204-210.pdf
Daily consumption of barley-based foods in some studies improved mood and reduced depression scores among elderly humans.
Incorporating Amazing Pure Organic Barley as oart of a balanced diet may help improve emotional stability, stress resilience, and healthier behavioral patterns due to these scientifically supported mechanisms. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3250035/








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