Background/Objectives: Emerging evidence suggests that ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption may be associated with depressive symptoms, yet data in the early postpartum period remain limited. This pilot study aimed to examine the association between UPF intake and postpartum depressive symptoms among women in the early postpartum. Methods: In this cross-sectional pilot study, 137 women within 6–8 weeks postpartum were recruited from hospitals, maternity clinics, and online support networks in Greece. Dietary intake was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire and classified according to the NOVA system. UPF consumption was categorized into quartiles. Postpartum depressive symptoms were evaluated using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), with clinically significant symptoms defined as EPDS ≥ 13. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted, adjusting for sociodemographic and lifestyle factors. Results: The prevalence of clinically significant postpartum depressive symptoms was 29.9%. No statistically significant associations were observed in adjusted models. However, a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms was observed among women in the highest UPF intake quartile (40.0%) compared with lower quartiles (25.7–28.1%). Poor sleep quality was independently associated with higher odds of depressive symptoms, whereas breastfeeding was associated with lower odds. Confidence intervals were wide, indicating limited statistical precision due to the small sample size. Conclusions: While no statistically significant association was observed in multivariable analyses, a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms was noted among women in the highest UPF intake quartile. The wide confidence intervals indicate substantial uncertainty, and the findings should be interpreted with caution. Larger, adequately powered studies are required to confirm these findings.

Background/Objectives: Ceratonia siliqua L. (carob) is a rich source of bioactive compounds with potential health-promoting properties. This study investigated the kinetics of serum metabolites following the consumption of a carob beverage and evaluated associated changes in circulating antioxidant status. Methods: Fifteen apparently healthy adult men completed an acute postprandial intervention; only male participants were included to minimize the biological variability related to sex-dependent differences in phytochemical kinetics and antioxidant responses. Participants consumed a beverage from carob pod powder (30 g) dispersed in water (200 mL). Blood samples were collected at baseline and every 30 min for 6 h following intake. Serum metabolic profiling was performed using a non-targeted liquid chromatography–time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-TOF-MS) approach. Antioxidant responses were assessed by measuring ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and serum resistance to copper sulphate-induced oxidation. Results: Twenty-four putative metabolites were detected, including phenolic compounds, fatty acids, amino acids, dipeptides, monosaccharides, pyridoxine, and gut microbiota-derived metabolites. Urolithin B appeared at 30 min (28.0 ± 4.0 × 10² a.u.), while p-cresol sulfate increased from 53.3 ± 6.5 × 10² a.u. at baseline to 130.0 ± 7.0 × 10² a.u. at 30 min. FRAP values did not change significantly over time (p = 0.332), whereas oxidation lag time showed a significant time effect (p = 0.001), reaching its highest mean at 180 min (9093.5 ± 1885.1 s). Conclusions: Carob beverage consumption resulted in a diverse postprandial serum metabolite profile. Antioxidant responses appeared to be only partly explained by circulating phenolics, suggesting that additional pathways and bioactive constituents may contribute.