9 Mood-Boosting Foods to Try Out

coffee in a cup

Try These Out to Boost Your Mood

Feeling depressed? It is logical to state that what you need to make you feel better is not food. However, it can be dangerous when you resort to alcohol or sugary things to lift your spirits.

It is normal to be unsure whether foods can lift your spirits or not. However, studies have shown that eating a healthy diet can help improve your mood and make you feel better than you were feeling.

Some factors have been identified to be the cause of changes in mood. Some of these factors include poor sleep, stress, environmental and nutritional deficiency. These factors are capable of tampering with your mood, making you gloomy all day.

Although research is still ongoing about how good can improve your mood. However, there are established research that has shown that eating healthy food can improve your mood and the function of your brain.

The following are 9 foods that can improve your mood;

Fatty Fish

Not all fats are unhealthy to the body. Some fats like avocado fats are nutritious and healthy for you. It is important to do research on what kinds of fats to avoid and the ones you should consume for health reasons.

Omega 3 fatty acids are a sort of nutritious fat that you can only get from foods, as your body cannot produce it on its own.

Omega 3 has shown promising and positive effects in the improvement of the condition of people who are depressed.

It also plays a notable function in the growth, development, and maintenance of the brain. Adding Omega 3 supplement to your diet is essential as it provides you with not just mental health support but general health support.

Although, currently, there are not many types of research on the safe dosage of Omega 3 fatty acids supplements. However, experts claim that consuming up to 250mg as an adult is safe enough for a day.

Dark Chocolate

Packed in dark chocolates are properties that have the tendency of boosting and improving moods, especially in people who constantly have mood swings for no reason. Asides from its sugar content, which is known to be a major brain fuel, its caffeine content is moderate and can supply you with the feeling of relaxation.

Although, research is still ongoing as to whether the mood-boosting compounds in dark chocolates are large enough to cause an effect that can improve the mood.

Some of the other health benefits of eating dark chocolates include the reduction of inflammation, increased flow of blood to the brain, both of which still lead to the improvement of mood.

Coupled with these, dark chocolate is delicious. It is appealing to not just the eyes but also the nose, as its smell is inviting.

Fermented Foods

Fermented foods like kombucha, yogurt, and sauerkraut are known to contain compounds that are immune-boosting. The process of fermentation causes the preservation of some bacteria that are used in the conversion of food sugars into acids and alcohol. Through this process of fermentation, a compound known as probiotics is created. One of the functions of probiotics is the sustenance and growth of healthy bacteria in your gut, as well as the generation of serotonin.

Although, not all fermented foods have significant amounts of probiotics. Some of these kinds of foods include bread, wine, and beer.

Fermented foods, which include kimchi, yogurt, kefir, kombucha, and sauerkraut, may improve gut health and mood. However, research is still going on how this is possible.

Serotonin is effective at improving mood, as research has found that there is a connection between a healthy man’s health and mood.

Bananas

BananaBananas are usually regarded as happy fruits, especially when they are ripe and yellow. Their yellow color makes them attractive and makes you crave them.

Bananas have high amounts of vitamin B6, which functions as a synthesizer for serotonin and dopamine.

Eating bananas can also help in the regulation of your blood sugar. This is because it contains fiber and sugar. With this combination, fiber ensures that the sugar is diffused into the blood slowly, thereby reducing a spike in your blood sugar. I’m other words, bananas are packed with compounds that regulate blood sugar, ensuring that the level of the sugar does not drop below normal or rise dangerously above normal.  Recent research has shown that low blood sugar can cause mood swings.

In addition, when the bananas are ripe but still have a little greenness on their skin, it makes it the best choice for mood improvement. This is because this kind of banana is rich in prebiotics, which happens to be a kind of fiber that feeds, maintains, and sustains the growth and development of healthy bacteria in the gut, thereby improving your moods and eliminating all forms of mood disorders.

Oats

Oats are healthy and delicious foods that can keep you full all day long and give you a happy day. There are different ways in which you can enjoy oats. You can enjoy it as granola, oatmeals or museli.

One of the major components of oats is its fiber content, which is known to reduce the rate at which your body ingests carbs, thereby leading to a slow process of the release of sugar into the bloodstream.

People who consumed oats as breakfast recorded better mood all day long, as well as the proper regulation of their blood sugar levels.

Oats are also packed with iron and essential nutrient for the healthiness of your blood. In fact, when you are iron deficient, and you consume reasonable amounts of oats, you are likely to get better after a period of 4 weeks. This way, your mood would also improve.

Berries

Berries are nutritious fruits. They are portable ad delicious too. Eating them can reduce your tendencies to slip into depression. They are packed with properties that can reduce the inflammation that can trigger mood disorders. These properties are known as antioxidants. Antioxidants are effective at the prevention or elimination of oxidative stress caused by free radicals.

Consuming berries daily can help beat down your chances of slipping into depression by up to 39%.

Berries are available in farm markets and supermarkets (frozen berries).

Nuts and Seeds

Nuts and seeds are portable edibles. They are plant-based foods that are rich in protein and other mood-boosting properties. Some nuts and seeds that are packed with these compounds include cashews, almonds, walnuts, and peanuts. Others include sesame, pumpkin, and sunflower seeds.

Nuts and seeds are known to be effective in the improvement and development of brain functions. According to research, people who consume nuts and are seen may have up to 20 reductions in developing depression symptoms or even depression itself.

Some nuts and seeds asides being rich in protein are also rich in other compounds like selenium and zinc, both of which are indispensable for the improvement of brain functions. Deficiency in these compounds can put your brain health in danger.

Coffee

Coffee is a healthy beverage that is available everywhere in the blood. Caffeine is rich in a compound known as adenosine. The major function of this compound is disconnecting the brain from every form of tiredness, thus boosting the level of alertness in its drinkers.

Studies have shown that people who consume coffee at the start of their day end up having great and happy days. This is as a result of the mood-boosting properties contained in coffee.

You can enjoy coffee by adding milk to it. This can give you a better taste and a better smell.

Lentils and Beans

Beans and lentils are packed with protein and fiber. They are also rich with mood-boosting compounds. Beans and lentils are great sources of vitamin B, which helps in the synthesis of mood-boosting properties like dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. All of these are essential for promoting a healthy mood.

soybeansCoupled with vitamin B, beans and lentils also contain other essential vitamins that contain properties that can beat down your risks of developing symptoms of depression.

In conclusion, foods, especially healthy foods, have their own ways of boosting the mood. This is because they are packed with properties that produce this effect. They are also rich in other nutrients like protein, vitamins, and iron, all of which play essential roles in both the improvement of mood and the promotion of the general well-being of their consumers.