5 foods for a better mood

When we think of food that makes us happy, we mainly think of crisps, fried food, chocolate and wine. Right? Of course, we feel happy while eating them. But afterwards, we feel very differently about them, whether we’re suffering from stomach ache caused by bitterballen or a hangover. No, if you really want to get into a better mood, you’ll need to put quite a few other products on your menu.

The relationship between food, moods and anxiety has received increasing attention in recent years. We want to know how we can use food to genuinely feel happier. Nutritional psychiatry is therefore a popular field of research. Dr Uma Naidoo, for example, is a nutritional psychiatrist at Harvard. She researches how even the smallest changes to our eating patterns can make us happier people. For example, the Mediterranean diet—in which you eat lots of vegetables, oil, beans and dairy—appears to reduce the risk of depression, while eating processed food actually increases the risk of depression.

Your gut: your second brain

You know the saying: your gut is your second brain. Research shows that a well-nourished gut has a positive effect on your mood. ‘Information from the food we eat is passed on to our brains. That affects our overall mental health,’ Naidoo told Huffpost. ‘More than 90% of the receptors for the neurotransmitter serotonin, which is responsible for our mood and cognition, are located in the gut. This highlights how powerful this connection between food and our mood is.’

Good to know, but what should we eat? The following 5 products will give you a better mood.

1. Oily fish

Eat oily fish a few times a week. Clinical studies show that regular consumption of omega-3 fatty acids reduces the risk of depression or anxiety symptoms. Oily fish includes salmon, mackerel (delicious: these mackerel rillettes!) or sardines. Do you think eating fish several times a week is a bit too much? Walnuts, chia seeds and flaxseeds are also omega-3 powerhouses. Add a generous spoonful to your yoghurt in the morning and your body (and mood) will thank you.

2. Grains and legumes

Grains and legumes are forms of complex carbohydrates. And they do a lot of good for you. They ensure a stable release of glucose: an essential substance for properly functioning brain activity. They also stimulate the production of serotonin, which gives you a lovely chilled-out feeling. Tip: make a tasty lunch a few times a week based on legumes—such as chickpeas or lentils—and you’ll already be getting plenty of complex carbohydrates. And always choose whole grains.

3. Vegetables and fruit

That vegetables and fruit are good for your body probably isn’t spectacular news. But did you know they can also make you feel better mentally? They’re packed with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals that support brain health. A happy body and a happy head, then. The key tip is to eat all the colours of the rainbow. So happily alternate between different types of vegetables and fruit instead of reaching for a banana and an apple every week.

4. Eggs, chicken, turkey and dairy

Eggs make you happy. Literally. They contain tryptophan, an amino acid precursor of serotonin. Yes, the happiness chemical! So go ahead and eat plenty of eggs. The substance is also abundant in chicken, turkey and dairy products, so add those to your diet too.

5. Fermented products

A healthy gut flora is indispensable if you want to improve your overall health. What you need, then, is probiotics. There are plenty of bottles brimming with probiotics, but you can also get them very easily from food. Because whether those probiotic drinks really work is still questionable. What should you eat? Fermented products, such as pickles, sauerkraut and kefir. They’re full of healthy bacteria, which makes your body happy. And you too—even if it’s only because you can go to the toilet comfortably. By the way, did you know that a link has been found between eating probiotic food and a reduction in social anxiety?

Variety and the long term

It’s important to know that no individual nutrient or compound is solely responsible for improving your mental health. So it’s not the case that if you eat several pickles every day from now on, you’ll suddenly see miraculous results. It’s better to follow as varied a diet as possible—a mix of the products above, in other words. And to do so for as long as possible. You’re better off making small changes and sticking to them for longer than having sporadic bursts of enthusiasm and suddenly deciding to eat healthily for a while. But hey, before long you won’t be able to wipe that smile off your face!

Also read:

• It’s been researched: vegetarians are depressed more often than meat eaters
• What to eat when you’re in a f-ing terrible mood
• Hangry? Here’s why it happens and what to do about it

Source: Huffpost