Feeling Low? Boost Your Mood With These Foods! – Part 1

 

Did you know that you can eat your way to a good mood? We don’t mean snacking on your favourite sweets 🍬 to feel better about your bad day. We’re talking about boosting your mood with superfoods that are not only nutritious but are also packed with all the good stuff 🙌 that makes us feel happier, healthier, and more energised 💪.

 

Fatty Fish

 

Fish 🐟 like salmon, for example, are categorised as fatty fish. They fall into this group due to the essential fats they contain which your body needs to function properly. Your body can’t make healthy fats itself, so it needs a little help by eating fatty fish, that is packed full of Omega-3. Omega-3 contributes to things like the fluidity of your brain’s 🧠 cell membrane and plays a big role in the overall health of your brain. In some clinical trials, it’s been found that eating fatty fish can lower depression.

 

Green Tea

 

Green tea 🍵 has been linked to helping reduce the symptoms of colds 🤒, to lowering blood sugar levels.  Green tea contains antioxidant compounds and the amino acid L-theanine which have been linked to possibly reducing the symptoms of depression and anxiety.

 

Nuts And Seeds

 

We’re nutty about nuts 🥜 and seeds making this list. They also contain zinc and selenium. Having a deficiency of these key minerals may lead to higher levels of depression.

Nuts also provide an amino acid called tryptophan which is responsible for producing the mood-boosting chemical serotonin.

Seeds like flaxseeds are full of omega-3 which – as mentioned above – is known for its mood lifting qualities.

 

Red Bell Peppers

 

Fun fact: red bell peppers have more vitamin C in them than oranges 🍊! Not only are they a great source of this essential vitamin, but they also help your body make happy hormones like serotonin and norepinephrine.

 

Whole Grains

 

Firstly, replacing refined sugar and flour products with high-fibre foods like whole grains are brilliant for your body 🕺 and your brain 🧠.

And secondly, whole grains are key in stabilising your blood sugar, which is known to have an impact on your mood.

Whole grains also help keep you fuller for longer and give you energy – two more things you can be happy about! 😆

 

Fermented Foods

 

We’ve mentioned in a previous blog post that your gut health can affect your mood. It’s important that you eat foods that maintain the health of your intestinal microbiota, which can influence your mood and your overall health.

Some fermented mood-boosting foods you can try to include in your diet are kimchi, yoghurt, kefir, kombucha, and sauerkraut.

There’s nothing wrong with having the odd helping of ice-cream 🍦 when you’re feeling down and out. But there is a much better (and healthier) way to feel happier 🙂, by eating the superfoods listed above. Look out for PART 2 of our super food blog for more super mood foods!