Fresh, healthy foods are certain to leave you in a better mood
We often think about how our food choices affect our weight – but what about our mood?
Sally Norton, weight loss consultant at Spire The Glen Hospital Bristol, and founder of Vavista.com, explains five ways in which what we eat can affect how we feel…
H-angry
It seems the ‘angry because you’re hungry’ phenomenon is based firmly in science. Eating junk food – namely high-sugar foods like cakes, sweets and biscuits – can give you an immediate sugar rush of energy, however the ensuing crash will leave you lethargic, immediately hungry again and irritable. Opt for complex, slow-release carbohydrates that avoid these dramatic spikes/crashes, or increase protein intake to help you feel fuller longer and stop you seeing red.
Grumpy
Researchers from the University of California showed that trans fats can make us grouchy. The study of 1,000 men and women and found that a higher intake of trans fat (found in processed, junk foods) was significantly tied to an increase in aggression and irritability.
Sleepy
If you struggle to drop off at night, add in tryptophan-rich foods to your evening meal. This amino acid helps in the production of the brain chemicals serotonin and melatonin that act on sleep regulation. Oats, bananas, poultry, eggs, peanuts and tuna are high in tryptophan. Dairy products and chocolate are too – hence the night-time cocoa routine!
Happy
A balance of high omega-3 consumption and lower omega-6 intake has been linked to boosting our mood – that means out with the biscuits, cakes, crisps, fried foods, takeaways and ready meals and in with oily fish and seafood. Studies have shown that adding 1000mg to a standard diet may also help in depression and other psychiatric disorders.
Stressed
Stressed out? Keep your caffeine levels in check, especially after lunchtime. For those who drink caffeine in moderation and are getting enough sleep, this stimulant can boost mental alertness. However, if you’re fatigued and run down, caffeine can worsen your mood and intensify stress.
Whilst drinking LESS coffee can help you de-stress, so can drinking MORE water. In a British food and mood study, over 70 percent of the participants reported that increasing their intake of water and produce improved their moods.
Tagged in Diet Healthy eating Healthy Diet Plan