Nutritious Foods That Lift Your Mood
It could be the weather, fatigue, bad news, hormonal changes, or a million other reasons. You don’t know why, but you feel like crying, listening to sad songs, or staying in bed for a week. Did you know there are foods that lift your mood? You can eat them and reap their benefits. In this article, we’ll tell you which ones to eat.
What to eat to raise your spirits
Maybe you don’t know why, but you haven’t felt like getting up since your alarm rang. It might be because it’s Monday, maybe you stayed up watching your favorite show, or maybe you’re dealing with premenstrual syndrome.
The next thing you know, you’re at the office hating everyone, wanting to run away to a desert island. On your way out of work, you might “treat” yourself to coffee and chocolate cake, and then feel better before dinnertime.
Does food perform miracles or magic? Not exactly. However, it does have a lot to do with its ability to lift your mood when everything seems blue. There are certain foods that lift your mood in a matter of minutes. Would you like to know which ones?
1. Chocolate
Chocolate is at the top of the list, since it’s considered to be the best food to fight depression, thereby making it perfect to lift your spirits. The substances in cacao act on your brain to make you feel better and that’s why it’s common to crave chocolate (however prepared) whenever you’re sad.
But hold on a second—eating too much of this sweet treat is not great for your health because it contains sugar, milk, and other ingredients. Of course, there is an exception – dark chocolate.
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2. Nuts
Nuts are an excellent source of fatty acids (omega 3) and can be eaten as a healthy snack at any time of the day. In addition to nuts, you can also eat almonds and peanuts—but only a handful a day. If you’d like, you can mix them with yogurt, orange juice, or milk to enhance their benefits.
3. Milk
When we’re not in a great mood and it’s cold out, you might crave a cup of warm milk before going to bed (or while in bed). It makes us feel comforted within minutes and helps us fall asleep. Milk goes further than drinking hot tea, as it’s filling and calming due to its calcium content.
Drinking milk prevents irritability, anxiety, depression, and regulates changes in your mood.
4. Cinnamon
Try adding a pinch of cinnamon to your milk, as it also boasts great benefits including (among other things) raising your spirits. This characteristic fragrant spice prevents hypoglycemia. When blood sugar levels drop, it can make us feel tired. To prevent or treat this issue, sprinkle a little cinnamon on your desserts or teas every day.
5. Honey
Honey is another sweet food that can help give your mood a boost. It’s full of interesting properties like the fact that it’s a natural antibiotic, for example. It’s one of the most complete foods in existence, with tryptophan, an amino acid that helps synthesize serotonin (the happiness hormone).
A tablespoon of honey is enough to sweeten your tea. You’ll feel much better after enjoying its flavor!
6. Banana
There are many fruits that can help you feel better. Bananas are able to do just that due to their high magnesium content. This mineral lowers stress, fatigue, and anxiety. All of this will work together to lift your mood.
Best of all, you can add it to different smoothies or fruit salads for dessert.
7. Whole wheat bread
We recommend that you choose whole wheat bread if you’re feeling down. Even though it has carbohydrates, they combine with amino acids, making it a filling and perfect food for fighting anxiety.
What’s more, whole wheat bread has tryptophan, which reduces depression and sensitivity to pain. Have a slice at breakfast and you’ll start off your day with a smile.
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8. Spinach
Not only will spinach make you strong like Popeye, it will give your body a dose of folic acid. Folic acid is very important for pregnancies and has many advantages. For example, it increases serotonin levels in the brain which in turn lifts your mood.
You can eat spinach raw or cooked in many ways—in salads, quiches, soups, etc.
9. Eggs
In many countries (Turkey, Japan, Sweden), poached eggs are eaten at breakfast. Unlike fried eggs (not recommended because of their extra fat content), poached eggs are a filling option with a good amount of nutrients. They’re ideal for those with physically demanding jobs, as they provide a lot of energy. In addition, their amino acids help to create serotonin.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- UNAD. (2013). Definición, Composición, Estructura Y Propiedades De La Leche. Tecnología de Lácteos. https://doi.org/10.1140/epjst/e2015-02365-3
- Ballone GJ, M. E. (2008). Serotonina.
- American Phychiatric Association. (2002). Trastornos del estado de ánimo. DSM-IV-TR Manual diagnóstico y estadístico de los trastornos mentales. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejmech.2013.09.028
