These are the best foods to boost your mental health

It's no secret that many employees across the world are suffering from burnout because of recent global events – but nutrition programme provider Lifesum for Work said they might have the right foods that can help employees out.

According to Dr. Matthew Lederman, the following foods can help boost employee mental health and workplace productivity:

• Berries - high in polyphenols, a natural compound found in plant-based foods, they possess unique properties that can boost cognitive function to support a healthy brain.
• Walnuts - these, together with other foods high in omega 3 fats, such as soybeans and ground flaxseed, have been shown to improve mood and support brain health.
• Sweet potatoes - high in complex carbohydrates that increase serotonin, which directly affects mood, cognition, and behaviour and can lead to improved energy levels.
• Oats - contains tryptophan, which the body uses to make serotonin and melatonin, which affects sleep-wake cycle. Other foods high in tryptophan include whole grain cereals and wheat germ.
• Brown rice - high fibre foods help improve the movement of food through the digestive tract and minimise uncomfortable symptoms like heartburn, bloating, and constipation.
• Kale - shown to decrease inflammation and reduce mood symptoms.

Lederman advised employers to keep these foods accessible for workers to improve their wellbeing.

"By keeping these foods easily available to employees both in the workplace and through additional health and wellness benefits, employers can improve the nutrition of their teams and keep them engaged, productive and healthy," he suggested.

Lifesum for Work is an organisation providing nutrition programmes to support employees' wellbeing and performance. According to CEO Markus Falk, it also aims to "bolster nutrition knowledge among leaders by simplifying path to long-term health."

"It equips organisations to drive sustainable cultural change, support employee mental health and improve productivity and retention through food," Falk said.