Better Diet, Better Mental Health A healthy diet includes a full range of vegetables, fruits, legumes (lentils, chickpeas, beans), fish, whole grains (rice, quinoa, oats, breads, etc.), nuts, avocados and olive oil to support a healthy brain. Sweet and fatty foods should be special treats, not the staples of your diet. People who eat a diet high in whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, legumes, fish and unsaturated fats (like olive oil) are up to 35% less likely to develop depression than people who eat less of these foods.3,4 Highly processed, fried and sugary foods have littlenutritional value and should be avoided. Research shows that a diet that regularlyincludes these kinds of foods can increase the risk of developing depression byas much as 60%.5,6