Did you know that 90% of the serotonin receptors are located in the gut? (Harvard Health) Serotonin is a chemical messenger that is believed to act as a mood stabilizer. It is said to help produce healthy sleeping patterns and regulate emotions. (Healthline)
Moods, as we know, are a driving force to our daily lives – impacting our whole day. While some of us can understand how we feel and seem to have an explanation, some of us turn our minds to food. A study in 2018 published in Molecular Psychiatry found that eating a balanced diet that is free from ultra-processed foods and avoiding inflammation producing foods helps with coping with depression, positively affecting how you feel.
“At a very basic level, our brains are built out of our foods,” says Dr. Perlmutter. “Our foods also turn into our neurotransmitters, which are the chemical signals that transfer messages between our brain cells, as well as influence pathways related to brain wiring and the brain’s immune system—all of which are linked to mental health..”
The most value players of mood-boosting food include fibre, antioxidants, magnesium, B-vitamins, proteins, and healthy fats. Ever heard of the Mediterranean Diet? The act of eating diverse whole foods, leafy greens, avocados, beans, berries, and nuts have proven to boost happiness.
Here are 5 Foods that are proven to lift your spirits and increase overall brain health:
1. Dark Chocolate – contains caffeine, theobromine, and N-acylethanolamine that trigger positive psychological responses. It has proven to increase blood flow to your brain and has a high hedonic rating.
A tip is to include dark chocolate rather than milk or white as it is higher in flavonoids and lower in added sugar. Although our recommendation is you should stick to 1-2 squares as it is still high in calories!
2. Fermented Foods – kimchi, yogurt, kefir and kombucha A great source of probiotics that allow live bacteria in your gut to thrive and able to convert the sugars to digestible acids and alcohol.
3. Nuts and Seeds – high in plant based proteins, healthy fats, fiber. They also provide tryptophan the amino acid responsible for serotonin production.
4. Beans and Lentils – In addition to being high in fiber, plant based protein and low in fat, beans and lentils are full of feel-good nutrients. They’re an excellent source of B-vitamins which plays a key role in proper nerve signaling and functioning.
5. Bananas – Potassium rich bananas are great for having a healthy mind. Optimum potassium levels can induce good sleep patterns and even allows for maintaining normal levels of fluid inside our cells.
Another aspect to food and wellbeing is missing meals. Skipping meals or combining 2 meals such as breakfast and lunch due to a busy schedule or just not feeling like eating can lead a drop in sugar and mood swings. Coupled with this is practice of eating mindfully and being present during meals has become increasingly important. Thanks to our myriad distractions of screens, we can never focus on the food without paying attention to chewing. Paying close attention to chewing properly, knowing which food is being ingested is a great way to promote mental health and lower anxiousness and stress.
