We all know that our state-of-mind is influenced both by factors from within and from our everyday interactions. But new research coming to light indicates that we may be able to balance our state-of-mind by simply changing our diets. And this evidence is pointing towards the fact that chromium - an essential mineral found in mushrooms, whole grains, liver and brewer’s yeast - may be an important player.

Chromium influences sugar levels in the blood. And as glucose is the brain’s primary fuel, it needs a constant supply otherwise you start feeling mentally fatigued and down. Scientists have begun testing chromium by itself or in combination with standard antidepressants as a treatment for mood disorders ranging from mild to more severe and treatment resistant. The mineral has proved effective, sometimes dramatically so, in small-scale trials, and larger studies are now underway in several medical centers.

Take a form of depression known in the mental health world as atypical depression, actually something of a misnomer because it is hardly atypical. It afflicts more than a third of those suffering from depression. What’s atypical is that sufferers crave carbohydrates, binge eat and sleep excessively and gain weight, in contrast to garden-variety depression, marked by obvious anxiety, loss of appetite, insomnia and weight loss.

Persons with atypical depression also are exquisitely sensitive to rejection and experience overwhelming, sometimes paralyzing, fatigue. In 2002, researchers at Duke University, Durham North Carolina, found that a daily dose of 600 mg of chromium picolinate led to a significant decrease in symptoms among those with atypical depression. The mineral was most effective in curbing their tendency to overeat.

The dose was considerably higher than that which most people get through a normal diet. It’s not entirely clear how chromium works against depression but it’s known to affect important neurotransmitters in the brain, such as the release of norepinephrine. It also influences the supply of serotonin. But the action of chromium on mood may be directly and indirectly an effect of the mineral’s influence on insulin, the hormone that controls blood sugar. Lack of mental and physical energy seems to be a critical facet of the disorder.

A further study entitled: Evaluation of the chrome content of some wild-living and cultivated mushrooms from a human nutritional aspect, by A Barancsi, concludes that edible mushrooms can be regarded as functional food because of their important microelement content. In their experiments they found that mushrooms have significantly higher chromium content than other food and although the amount of chromium is slightly lower in the stem than in the cap of the mushroom.

So whether you cook them or eat them raw, make sure you use the whole mushroom. They are delicious fresh or lightly sauteéd in butter with a sprinkle of fresh herbs.