Eat these foods more often to enjoy a better mood, say scientists. Your nutrition impacts your mental health more than previously understood. Scientific evidence shows how to eat to improve your mood, and potentially beat anxiety and depression. Yet, certain foods harm mental health.
Chocolate is a popular mood booster. Here鈥檚 how it works: the cocoa flavanols in dark chocolate trigger more neurotransmitters (dopamine and serotonin) to be produced in the brain.聽 When there are more of these neurotransmitters in your brain, your mood increases. The same applies to tryptophan, found in mushrooms.
Perhaps you tend to reach for ice cream in moments of sorrow. Trade that tub of ice cream for a fruit or vegetables suggests science. According to , your happiness is just one more fruit or vegetable away. After surveying over 12,000 Australians, researchers discovered that for every extra portion of fruit and vegetable an adult ate each day, their happiness increased exponentially. Populations who eat a lot of plants (vegetarians) are to enjoy a healthier mood. Sadly, among those who eat fewer fruits and vegetables, evidence shows a high occurrence of depressive symptoms.
Some of the best fruits to eat to be happier, include apples, berries, and grapes. Many people suffering from depression have high levels of MAO enzymes, and this enzyme can be blocked by quercetin found in these fruits. How does eating this food make you happier? By blocking MAO enzymes from breaking down neurotransmitters that make you happy, you get to enjoy a better mood. Kale and are other good sources of quercetin.
Omega-3 fatty acids found in algae, seaweed, and fatty fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines, anchovies) are integral to the brain and nervous system. These essential fats regulate which neurotransmitters are being made, and impact signal pathways in the brain and nervous tissue development. As such, it鈥檚 no surprise shows a lack of omega-3 fatty acids is common in those struggling with mood-related illnesses, and eating omega-3 containing foods can boost your mood. Yet, most Canadians do not eat enough omega-3 fatty acids, particularly among high-risk populations, such as and the elderly. reporting long-term care residents had lower omega-3 intake levels that what is estimated to prevent age-related diseases.
Some of the most common foods we eat in the Western diet have been linked with a higher risk of depression by .
Evidence supports that healthy foods such as olive oil, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, poultry, dairy, and unprocessed meat have been linked with lowering the risk of depression. Eating these healthy foods may even improve depressive symptoms.
However, it鈥檚 important to clarify that eating healthy is not about perfection. Having good eating habits is about making efforts to nourish yourself with the majority of the mouthfuls you take 鈥� not every mouthful. All or nothing mentalities about food can lead to frustration, sadness, and聽 disordered eating. Success is the movement towards a healthier lifestyle; not perfection. Holistic nutrition is not a 鈥渄iet鈥� 鈥� but a healthy lifestyle that fits into your life and goals, and that incorporates your whole person (body, mind, and spirit).
READ MORE ABOUT FOOD AND MOOD:
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Evolution of well-being and happiness after increases in consumption of fruit and vegetables. .
Associations between long-term adherence to healthy diet and recurrent depressive symptoms in Whitehall II Study. .
Vegetarian diets are associated with healthy mood states: a cross-sectional study in Seventh Day Adventist adults.聽 .
Do the types of food you eat influence your happiness? ).
Will healthy eating make you happier? A research synthesis using an online findings archive. .
The science of tea鈥檚 mood-altering magic. .
Acute effects of tea constituents L-theanine, caffeine, and epigallocatechin gallate on cognitive function and mood: a systematic review and meta-analysis. .
Food, mood and brain health: implications for the modern clinician. .
Nutritional aspects of depression. .
Contributed by Allison Tannis
Known for her deliciously geeky words, Allison鈥檚 articles and books are read around the world by those curious about where to find the most delicious (and nutritious) places to stick their forks. More at聽. Follow @deliciouslygeeky.
