---
title: Can eating carbohydrates improve a bad mood, including PMS mood?
description: This review says yes, eating simple carbohydrates seems to give a temporary mood lift, including for premenstrual symptoms, though cutting carbs out entirely
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/effects-of-eating-behavior-on-mood-a-review-of-the-literature-1993/
---

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- Can eating carbohydrates improve a bad mood, including PMS mood?

Review, 1993

# Can eating carbohydrates improve a bad mood, including PMS mood?

This review says yes, eating simple carbohydrates seems to give a temporary mood lift, including for premenstrual symptoms, though cutting carbs out entirely may give more lasting relief for some people, and the exact reason this works is still unknown.

 Early or limited evidence

No specific group studied directly; review of literature on PMS, tobacco withdrawal, and eating disorders.

## What they did

This is a review of previous research, not a new experiment. It looks at how eating behavior, especially carbohydrate intake, relates to negative mood across several conditions, including tobacco withdrawal and premenstrual symptoms.

## What they found

People in a negative mood state, including those with premenstrual symptoms, often use simple carbohydrates for a temporary mood lift. Other evidence suggests some individuals get more lasting mood control by cutting simple carbohydrates out of their diet instead. The literature consistently shows carbohydrate intake can change mood, but the biological mechanism behind this is not known.

## What it means for you

Craving carbs during PMS may genuinely help mood in the short term, but there is no single proven long-term fix, and why this happens biologically is still unclear. Being a review, it summarises other studies rather than testing people directly.

## About the study

Original title Effects of eating behavior on mood: a review of the literature Authors Christensen L Journal The International journal of eating disorders Year 1993 Study design Review What was tested Carbohydrate intake, particularly simple carbohydrates, as a mood regulator. Read the paper [doi.org/10.1002/1098-108x(199309)14:2 3.0.co;2-u](https://doi.org/10.1002/1098-108x(199309)14:2 3.0.co;2-u)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Appetite and food cravings](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-food-cravings/)[Diet and nutrition](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-diet/)[Eating disorders](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-eating-disorders/)[Alcohol, smoking and substance use](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-substance-use/)

Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits.

Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor.

## Related studies

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Survey study, 2018

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Case-control study, 2010

Do women with PMDD crave high-sugar and high-fat foods more than other women?

Randomised trial, 1995

Does a special carbohydrate drink help mood and thinking problems in PMS?

Survey study, 2025

Is PMS linked to eating disorders and body fat?

Survey study, 2024

Is eating disturbance linked to worse PMS symptoms?

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