Nutritionist Says Donald Trump's Diet Makes Him Moody

Dreamstime

Holly Van Hare|Sept. 29, 2017 3:12 pm EST

Donald Trump loves fast food. He chugs Diet Coke, brings buckets of KFC on airplanes, and grabs Burger King on the campaign trail. "It's quick," he told the Daily Mail in 2015, chowing down on a hamburger.

"The Big Macs are great," the then-television star said to CNN in 2016. "The Quarter Pounder. It's great stuff."

But it might not be so great for him. Jo Travers, esteemed nutritionist and author of The Low Fad Diet, recently assessed Donald Trump's reported diet. Though Trump has no hesitation stocking the White House pantry with Lay's potato chips, she's not so sure he should.

President Trump loads up on saturated fats and processed meat — but skimps on the omega-3s. This meat-heavy, nutritionally deficient diet does more than just put on pounds for the President. It also has severe implications for mental health, as Travers explains. The lack of omega-3 fatty acids takes its toll.

"His body will substitute with other types of fats, which are less fluid, making it harder for neurotransmitters to get through," Travers explained. "This is linked to mood disorders."

Common symptoms of mood disorders include irritability, anger, worry, agitation, pessimism, and indifference, according to the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance. While Trump may not have a diagnosable mood disorder, Travers suggests that he just might exhibit some of these symptoms — likely influenced by his careless dietary choices.

You won't often find salmon on Trump's menu. What you will find, however, is fried chicken, bacon, and lots and lots of meatloaf. In a video where he and his wife Melania Trump cook a loaf of the mushy beef with Martha Stewart, he claims a love for the food. He and Martha Stewart laugh over his frequent indulgence in meatloaf sandwiches.

"Meatloaf is essentially just meat," condemns Travers. "There's no roughage. And no fiber impacts on gut health." Gut health can play a pivotal role in maintaining the immune system to ward off infections, but can also play a role in one's demeanor and mood. Previous presidents have invested much more time and attention to keeping their brain razor-sharp through a healthy, balanced diet — to see a side-by-side comparison of Trump's dietary habits with President Obama's, click here.