I've noticed that many plants that are known to have anti-oxidant properties are also reported to have (at least mild) antidepressant effects (cocoa, blueberries, acaiberries, cat´s claw, etc.). Is this coïncidence? I imagine that the brain is one of the parts of the human body that´s most vulnerable to oxidative stress, since it uses so much oxygen and is made for a big part out of fatty acids. I can see how protecting it against this could tip the balance in favor of the body/brains regenerative powers and as a result of that leads to a healthier brain and therefore a healthier mind.

Any thoughts..?

Certainly sounds like an idea, however i am now convinced that "movement" is the cure all for a depressed mind . By that i mean free natural expression within a natural as possible lifestyle. Most peoples depression is simply a normal response of being stuck in a rut which is created by living in a meticulously planned and laid out lifestyle that we are living today, which leads to mediocre living, with no zest for life.

-People need to kick their asses, and do something big with their lives. We are not created to live a mediocre life. We need to get out of ourselves, express ourselves, and make it happen. Depression happens when we fail to act, and stagnate. It's the stagnation that's the problem.

How many of these were actually tested vs placebo?

I don't know. I've heard about the alledged anti-depressant property's of these plants through canals that i would categorise as 'popular science' media.

Still, i've heard these rumours about anti-depressant effects of: cat's claw, cocoa, ascorbic acid, rodiola, blueberries, acaiberries, green tea, pomegranate, maté, ginseng, vitamin E, hydergine, acetyl-carnitine....and probably some i forget to mention.
All anti-oxidants.

Coincidence? Clever marketing?

Polytrip, those do seem like weak assed "anti's", though. Topping up on B vitamins, hard physical exercise, and lots of good refreshing rest, with some life goals to move to -seems to be what almost every professional in clinical psychology says: are the "MOST EFFECTIVE" antidepressants. Sure, it's important to rebalance nutrients and perhaps add a little something here and there, but people are usually depressed because they are not actively living a life conducive to promoting a positive state of mind. Ie, stuck indoors all day doing stuff they don't enjoy with no activity and poor diet, etc -In fact without hard exercise most of the goodies from food seldom get properly absorbed in the 1'st place, so they say, making supplement only a waste of time and money, a lot of the time.... just 5p worth of thoughts there, poly !

Oh, i wouldn't want to advice anyone to skip the physical activity part. I totally agree with you there.

Glad to hear that, Polytrip.

-Actually Vitamin C which is a very important antioxidant, as they all are, i think plays an important role in keepining the body healthy, and a strong immune system, which is valuable against damage through stress and depression.

This is just my anecdotal rambling, but I've experienced a HUGE cause-effect with antioxidants vs. depression.

I personally FEEL like eating lots of omega-3s helps me cope with stress better.

I think lots of these foods create something like an upward spiral effect: the more fruit/whole foods/superfoods you ingest, the more amazing nutrition you are getting, but the more amazing food you spend time eating, the less processed food you spend time eating... throw in a little bit of exercise and POOF!

When I first started drinking Ayahuasca and confronting the depth of my neurosis head-on, I also started cleaning up my diet big time (going mostly raw). Sometimes I would have a night where I ate takeout from wherever (vegan... but still processed badly ), and I felt an immediate connection between eating lots of preservatives and a crash in my mood.

Our closet primate friends get 4-6 GRAMS of Vitamin C per day... and the RDA for humans is sadly set to only 45mg. The body concentrates vitamin C 100x around the brain vs. the rest of the body... that was the most shocking thing I've ever learned about Vitamin C. I really just want to have it together 111% when I am old.

There are sites like fitday.com and others where you can input your food and guesstimate roughly what your nutrient intake may be. I always get upward of 1000% the RDA of vitamin C. One of the benefits of eating raw foods is that you get LOADS of antioxidants. That, in combination with weekly Aya-therapy, has literally turned my world upside down. I have never been happier or more self-directed... compared to years ago when I was chronically suicidal/self-destructive.

I feel like I talk about diet a lot... but only because it is SO AMAZING and SO POWERFUL and it wasn't anything I expected to help me at all until I actually began tweaking it.

ALSO ALSO, aren't harmalas analogues of PINOLINE, the most powerful endogenous antioxidant known to man? Ayahuasca > depression.

I have found that melatonin takes the edge off my petulant nature and I do feel more patient with it.

And finally, there is always the active process of confronting your dark side... but making an effort to nourish yourself is an act of self-care which is part and parcel to integrating the shadow, so I think it is part of the process of finding peace.

I was never into tomatoes before, when I started eating them I noticed quite the mood lift and my skin feels better. As part of a healthy diet, I think they can certainly help your mood & general health... all things as part of a whole though

Some nutrition depression related links

"Depression and Gluten" (link)

"Depression - Caused by Inflammation, Thus Like Other Diseases of Civilization" (link)

The same author has various pieces about diet and depression (link)