This Creamy Salmon Pasta Can Enhance Your Mental Health | Mental Health Recipes

If you’re into health and wellness, you’ve probably come across the recommendation of salmon more than a few times.

You’ve also probably been blasted with the idea that pasta is bad news. Well, we’re here to break down this concept of “good” versus “bad” when it comes to food.

Here’s the thing… A healthy diet comes down to one word: balance. Plus, our bodies need those carbs, and sometimes, pasta does the trick.

So, move over guilty conscience; we’re digging into how you can make this delicious and creamy salmon pasta—and why you should for an improved mood and better mental wellness.

Gourmet (But Super Easy) Creamy Salmon Pasta

Yes, gourmet and easy can go hand-in-hand. In fact, I’d like to argue they should. (Why can’t we have our cake and eat it too?)

Now, I love a good pasta recipe. And I love one even more that’s packed with this much goodness, thanks to delicious salmon. It’s tasty and has got our back in terms of mental health.

So, let’s get cooking. (Pro Tip: Make extra so you have many lunches and dinners prepared for the days to come!)

How Can This Salmon Pasta Improve Your Mental Wellness?

Carbs are great for quick energy (and for our good ol’ noggin!). In turn, this can help improve our mood all on its own. Yet, salmon takes the cake when it comes to providing optimal mental health benefits (especially in the long term!).

So, let’s take a deep dive. How can salmon enhance your mental well-being?

Omega-3 is Crucial for Brain Health

In many circles, brain health and mental health are one and the same. Either way, loaded with omega-3s, salmon offers a ton for both. Studies show how consumption of omega-3 fatty acids can improve learning, enhance memory, and increase blood flow to the brain.

In turn, these fats have been suggested to bump up neuroplasticity (AKA the forming of new neural connections in the brain) and even reduce neuroinflammation.

Because of this, these nutrients can help prevent aging of the brain, cognitive decline, and even mental health disorders. 

B12 and Omega-3s Work Together to Reduce Stress

Omega-3s and vitamins like B12, both found in salmon, can help regulate the stress response in the body.

In fact, there’s some evidence indicating that the more stress you have, the more omega-3 that gets depleted. But eating more salmon can help replenish this much-needed nutrient.

Research further shows how vitamin B12 supplementation has the power to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in the body.

Since inflammation is implicated in various chronic diseases, including mental health conditions, this could play a role in preventing them or potentially reducing their symptoms. 

A Good Dietary Source of Vitamin D

The majority of our vitamin D comes from plain old sunshine. Yet, when winter hits, various places don’t receive as much sun as they do in the summer. And this can mean lower vitamin D levels, which can disrupt various bodily and mental functions.

Increased vitamin D has been shown to alleviate depressive symptoms. Meanwhile, vitamin D deficiencies have been well-studied in relation to depression and other mental health conditions.

Yet, eating more vitamin D, such as consuming more salmon, can ensure this doesn’t happen, and your nutritional needs (and mental health needs) are met.

Related Article: Your Go-To Mental Health Resources: Here When You Need a Helping Hand