You probably already know that a sunny yellow hue is, generally, associated with happiness and joy. But science backs it up, too: “There was a study in Manchester, England some years ago in which they asked people what their favorite colors were, and then they assess their mood state,” Minich recounts (it’s called the Manchester Color Wheel Study, in case you’re curious). “And what they found was that yellow, the typical, bright, happy-faced yellow, was actually connected with happiness. People that chose yellow tended to be less depressed or anxious, and they tended to have a healthy mood.”
But here’s the thing about a bright, sunny color: Venture too close to the sun, and you’ll get scorched. Meaning, if you feel the urge to avoid the color altogether, you might have what Minich calls “excessive yellow”—which she says can manifest as stress and anxiety. “Whenever people shy away from yellow, I’m thinking, ‘Ah, it’s been too bright.'” You’re quite literally burnt out.
On the nutrition side of things, the link between “excessive yellow” and stress makes sense, too: “[Many people are] eating a lot of yellow foods these days,” Minich explains—not the whole, nutrient-rich variety (like, say, squash, lemon, and ginger), but highly processed, corn-based foods. These refined yellow foods can ramp up your blood sugar, which studies have shown is associated with the stress hormone, cortisol.
Of course, this color association is certainly not end-all-and-be-all. Maybe a mustard hue just clashes with your undertones, and that’s totally fine! But if you have a sudden aversion to yellow, or you simply prefer other colors at the moment, Minich says it’s worth it to check your stress levels.
Better yet, she notes, try filling your plate with cooling, blue-purple foods (like blueberries, Concord grapes, or purple potatoes). In fact, the blue-purple pigments, called proanthocyanidins, are superb for balancing mood: One study found that a diet full of this type of polyphenol was associated with a 39% lower risk of depression.