Best Foods To Charge Up Your Mood
All of us experience blues occasionally, and food may go a long way to pep you up and remain proactive in life. Ajar the refrigerator and rummage across the pantry, and you’ll discover a wide assortment of mood-lifting foods which are wholesome, fulfilling and delicious.
Prior to accessing the particular mood-elevating foods under-mentioned, you should follow these vital dietary tips to aid you better and uplift your mood through food:
Adjust Blood Sugar Concentrations
Skipping meals, consuming sugary diets and snacks or eating erratically can make your levels of blood sugar go bonkers. This can cause destabilization of hormones – like stress hormones – that can turn you irritable, grumpy or hangry. Reduced blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, is associated with anxiety and depression.
Eating complex carbohydrates, fat, protein and fibre at every meal or snack may aid to stabilize your levels of blood sugar.
Eat Healthy Fats
Fats become vital for your nervous system. Your brain consists of nearly 60% fat, while healthy fats promote brain activity and integrity, assist the generation of neurotransmitters besides lowering inflammation. Know more concerning the finest oils and fats for wholesomeness, and unearth the harmful effects regarding vegetable oils.
Consume The Amino Acids
Various amino acids, that constitute the basic element of protein, comprise the forerunners to neurotransmitters of the brain that aid balance and improve your mood.
Obtain The B Group Vitamins
The range of B class Vitamins serves to relieve stress and improve the nervous system. Various B vitamins also act as co-factors for enabling brain health and developing neurotransmitters. The B vitamins are available in different vegetables, such as black leafy greens, besides whole grains that are gluten-free.
You can try out the following foods to boost your mood.
Salmon

Salmon comprises a wonderful source for omega-3 fatty acids that are extremely anti-swelling. Omega-3s, especially DHA and EPA, are vital for the development of the nervous system and brain.
They are known to prevent depression – studies reveal societies where people who eat a greater amount of fatty fish witness less depression and anxiety. Besides, they can also influence your personality and control of impulse.
In addition to omega-3s, the fish also contains an abundance of protein, Vitamin D and Vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 functions in combination with folate that aid conversion of amino acids to neurotransmitters (patients of depression are inclined to carry low concentrations of both). Deficiency of Vitamin D is associated with depression.
Dark Leafy Greens

Dark leafy greens are abundant in an extensive range of nutrients, like fibre to stabilize blood sugar, class B vitamins which hike brain activity, besides iron. Evidence shows that deficiency of iron is associated with changed emotional behavior, stress and the disturbance in neurotransmitters. Iron with B Vitamins also aids us to create energy, and greater energy enhances our positivity and improves our capacity to engage in our preferred activities.
Excess of iron within the brain, nevertheless, can also damage neurotransmitters – requiring you to maintain optimum iron levels. So, grasp a handful of spinach, collards, kale, Swiss chard, mustard greens, mizuna, dandelion, or any other dark leafy greens loved by you, and check various ways to include them in your meal.
Chia

The chia seeds comprise a plant-related source of omega-3 fatty acids, besides including a host of added nutrients like fibre, calcium, protein, and iron. Such temperament enhancing food also contains abundant quantities of magnesium, the relaxant mineral of nature, and can aid lower anxiety and stress.
These tiny seeds are extremely versatile in the context of culinary nutrition as:
- They’re an excellent replacement for eggs
- They form a terrific pudding
- They’re superb in baked items (such as chocolate chia bread)
- Are excellent in dairy-free smoothies as well as smoothie bowls
- Become awesome for dairy-free brews
Lentils

These small but powerful pulses furnish a steady quantity of folate, the B vitamin which aids the development of the nervous system. Deficiency of folate is linked to depression, and including greater amount of it in your meal can pep up your mood.
Lentils are also rich in fibre that control blood sugar, protein, iron and Vitamin B6, the latter aids our bodies to create mood-bolstering neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin. Reduced Vitamin B6 levels are linked to depression.
Turkey

Turkey contains an abundance of the amino acid, tryptophan, which aids the production of serotonin, the mood-enhancing neurotransmitter. Low tryptophan levels can cause lesser serotonin generation and the rise of tension and depressive symptoms, whereas tryptophan-filled diets lower irritability and depression. Turkey also contains tyrosine, an amino acid which is a predecessor to neurotransmitters of the brain.
Moreover, turkey includes a number of B group vitamins – like B12 and B6, besides the mineral zinc. A deficiency of zinc is liked to mood disturbances like depression and anxiety.
Eggs

A favorite mood enhancing food, eggs contain plenty of protein, Vitamin B12 and D. They possess a haul of choline, an ingredient that promotes the nervous system, enhances mood and aids develop neurotransmitters, apart from selenium, an antioxidant. As the brain has greater vulnerability to oxidative injury, eating antioxidant foods may aid to protect and conserve the brain, along with your positive temperament.
Eggs are convenient to prepare and transfer while you’re mobile, and you can intake them in a lot of ways.
Sardines

A fatty fish loaded with mood bolsterers, sardines contain soaring Vitamin B12 levels, along with omega-3s, protein, selenium, choline and Vitamin D.
Grind them with lemon, sea salt and parsley, prepare a veggie plus sardine hash, else mince them up as flatbreads which are gluten-free.
Bell Peppers

Attractive bell peppers contain an abundance of Vitamin C, an antioxidant that can assist with neurotransmitter activity and promote cognition. Therapies with Vitamin C have indicated to lift mood and lower distress.
Avocado

A salutary fat carrying a highly-creamy texture, the fruit avocado contains Vitamin C, fibre, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin E. It also possesses Vitamin B5 that aids symphonize neurotransmitters and promotes the adrenal glands.
Fermented Foods

A magnitude of research shows the vital connection between the brain and the gut. Nearly 95 percent of serotonin generates within the digestive tract, which implies that prioritizing gut health will serve to promote our mood. Researchers are also analyzing the linkages of gut bacteria to temperament/cognition.
Some meta-analyses established that probiotics may aid to relieve the gloom. Fermented foods, ranging from sauerkraut and kombucha to dairy-free yogurt, comprise a wonderful root of probiotics. They can be easily made in the home and they form among our mood augmenting foods, while being excellent for promoting immunity.
Chocolate

Chocolate gives you happiness! It includes many potent compounds like phenylethylamine, which enhances endorphins, and anandamide, also termed “the bliss chemical”. Research on chocolate reveals that it can better cognition and mood, besides; it contains plenty of antioxidants, iron and magnesium to let us relax.
Evidence suggests that chocolate is especially helpful when consumed mindfully – so savor it instead of gobbling it all down.
Almonds

This mind bolstering food is excellent for protein (with tyrosine for production of neurotransmitter), fibre, Vitamin E and magnesium. Vitamin E, being an antioxidant, can help fight free radical injury to the brain while showing to better cognition and memory.
Take them individually as a snack, include them within trail blend or granola, produce your personal almond milk which is dairy-free, or utilize the almond paste in many delicious ways.
Sweet Potato

Sweet potatoes are rich in mood enhancers such as Vitamin B6 along with different B vitamins, fibre, and Vitamin C. You can eat them in many different ways.
Sunflower Seeds

These are abundant in Vitamin B6, Vitamin E, and magnesium. They form a nice option for persons having nut sensitivity – you can conveniently exchange crushed sunflower seeds or butter of sunflower seed whenever nuts get asked for. You can even mix sunflower seed butter and dark chocolate to get additional mood boost!
Ghee

Clarified butter, or ghee, is loaded with nourishing fats plus Vitamin D, and aids to cure the digestive tract, that can result in improved digestion with the favourable gut bacteria which promotes our mood. You can make your individual ghee at the home.
Like with any alterations in diet, new foods should be introduced gradually to enable your body to adapt to a new scheme and avoid any food allergies. The flow of energy and elevated moods provided by these healthful foods will amaze you. Remember, fire your brain through these essential nutrients and supplements to improve mood and stress, which will make you feel your best in seconds!
Sujata Sanyal
Sujata Sanyal has been in the writing circuit for the past 7 years and has touched upon various genres like travel, health, lifestyle, a wee bit of technology, cuisine, product descriptions and a bevy of others. 1 part of her is interested in animated political discussions, 2nd part interested in studying biographies and the remainder part in love with music and socially relevant work. Too many parts?