What to eat when you’re having a f-ing terrible day
Angry, tired, pissed off or sad? Whether you’re one or all of the above, we know how tempting it is to tear open the first bag of pork cracklings you can find or wolf down a custard bun. Still, we recommend saving the tastiest crappy foods for a consciously chosen moment, when you can truly enjoy them.
And when you do need to eat away a terrible mood for once (no judgment), it’s better to choose options you won’t regret. Otherwise you’ll have that to deal with later too! These foods have been shown to affect a particular state of mind.
Eat this…
When you’re nervous and stressed as hell:
GABA is your friend. Your buddy, so to speak. GABA is the commonly used abbreviation for gamma-aminobutyric acid, the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in your brain. GABA can calm you down, while its opposite, adrenaline, is your ‘fight or flight’ hormone. You don’t want too much of that when you’re already about to explode from stress. Caffeine boosts adrenaline, while walnuts and broccoli, for example, boost GABA. So leave the coffee alone for a moment and grab a handful from the nut jar. Your brain will be more likely to settle into a natural state of calm.
When you want to drag someone over the counter in anger:
See above. Sure, you want to eat your way through a whole aisle of KitKats, but a banana or almonds or some peanuts really do calm you down better than quick-release sugars. Bonus: it’s also harder to swear with your mouth full of peanut butter. Peace out.
When you’re sleep-deprived but g*%#*mme still have the whole day ahead of you:
You’d do well to increase your choline intake a little. Choline is a substance you can get through food as well as produce yourself, and it’s important for brain development, energy and a good memory. It’s found in egg yolks, salmon and chickpeas, among other things – surely you can make something with those, right?
When you’re so sad that you want to curl up on the sofa under a Miffy blanket and have a good cry:
Don’t reach for the cheese straws or cola bottles just yet. You need a serotonin boost, because serotonin is one of the happiness hormones your body can produce. It affects your mood and is also important for the functioning of, among other things, your immune system. Serotonin is made from the amino acid tryptophan, and you get it by eating things like chocolate, milk, (again) chickpeas and banana, brown rice and sesame seeds. So even if you’re a staunch pro-white-rice person, this is precisely the occasion to put your hormonal housekeeping first. Then nibble on a piece of really good chocolate, have a glass of milk with it, give yourself a mental pat on the head, and hopefully you’ll be back on your feet soon. Hang in there!
Read also:
- Our man in the provinces is angry
- Hangry? Here’s why it happens and what to do about it
- First cooking aid for heartbreak
