Antidepressant foods: An evidence-based nutrient profiling system for depression

Table 1 Levels of evidence

Levels of evidence: Observational studies	Levels of evidence: Experimental studies
1. At least 2 prospective cohort studies with adequate sample size and/or meta-analysis with narrow confidence intervals	1. At least 2 RCTs with adequate sample sizes, preferably placebo-controlled, and/or meta-analysis with narrow confidence intervals
2. At least 1 prospective cohort study with adequate sample size and/or meta-analysis with wide confidence intervals	2. At least 1 RCT with adequate sample size and/or meta-analysis with wide confidence intervals
3. Cross-sectional or case control studies	3. Non-randomized, controlled prospective studies (open-label) or high-quality retrospective studies (i.e., case series)
4. Expert opinion/consensus	4. Expert opinion/consensus
5. Evidence is equivocal/unavailable	5. Evidence is equivocal/unavailable

RCT: Randomized controlled trial.

Table 2 Antidepressant foods

Antidepressant animal foods	AFS range	Antidepressant plant foods	AFS range
Oyster	56%	Watercress	127%
Liver and organ meats (spleen, kidneys, or heart)	18%-38%	Spinach	97%
Poultry giblets	31%	Mustard, turnip, or beet greens	76%-93%
Clam	30%	Lettuces (red, green, romaine)	74%-99%
Mussels	28%	Swiss chard	90%
Octopus	27%	Fresh herbs (cilantro, basil, or parsley)	73%-75%
Crab	24%	Chicory greens	74%
Goat	23%	Pummelo	69%
Tuna	15%-21%	Peppers (bell, serrano, or jalapeno)	39%-56%
Smelt	20%	Kale or collards	48%-62%
Fish roe	19%	Pumpkin	46%
Bluefish	19%	Dandelion greens	43%
Wolffish	19%	Cauliflower	41%-42%
Pollock	18%	Kohlrabi	41%
Lobster	17%	Red cabbage	41%
Rainbow trout	16%-17%	Broccoli	41%
Snail or whelk	16%	Brussels sprouts	35%
Spot fish	16%	Acerola	34%
Salmon	10%-16%	Butternut squash	34%
Herring	16%	Papaya	31%
Emu	16%	Lemon	31%
Snapper	16%	Strawberry	31%

AFS: Antidepressant food score.

Table 3 Food categories and mean antidepressant food score

Food category	Mean AFS
Vegetables	48%
Organ meats	25%
Fruits	20%
Seafood	16%
Legumes	8%
Meats	8%
Grains	5%
Nuts & seeds	5%
Dairy	3%

AFS: Antidepressant food score.