Are you stressed out? Elevate your mood with these bites

Updated on August 16, 2022 19:52 PM by admin

We are living in a world filled with stress, from the morning alarm that wakes us to hit the bed at night; our life revolves around stress, tension, and anxiety that pollutes our minds and bodies. To get relief from all these pollutants, we tend to do exercise, yoga, and meditation, but still, many have no time to practice any of these.

So what will be the solution for these people? One can regulate their mood just by healthy eating habits. Fruits and vegetables fight depression. During this stage, we tend to crave more calorie-rich food high in sugar which hurts our body and depresses our mood more in the long run.

High sugar consumption will have severe health consequences; here are some food items that are rich in certain compounds that suit our mood, which positively impacts the body and mood.

Good food can stabilize our brain's activity and bring positivity to our mood, which aids in keeping bad moods at bay. And here is a list of items, when consumed, that can elevate your mood in a better way and fights against signs of depression making you a power-packed person.

Dark chocolates

Chocolates give comfort and relieve your stress, as the properties in them can stipulate your mood in a better way. The sugar in it nourishes your brain and improves your mood. Chocolates contain caffeine, theobromine, and N-acylethanolamine; these chemicals are responsible for revamping your mood.

But still, there is an ongoing debate among the researchers on whether there are enough of these chemicals to spark any psychological feedback. This increases the blood flow in your brain by lowering the inflammation, deepening the brain’s metabolism, and regulating a better mood together.

Chocolates have a smooth texture and great taste that produces a good mood by reducing stress. Dark chocolates serve the best in different chocolates as they contain less sugar and other ingredients than other chocolates. Just because chocolates improve mood, don’t be overeating bars, as it is enough that you eat one or two small squares as the added cocoa has high calorific value.

Also Read: Kinder chocolates were withdrawn in the US just a week before Easter

Fermented foods

The uniqueness of fermented food is that it contains live bacteria that improve gut health and mood. And this food has been eaten for centuries-long, which was practiced as a better way to preserve food and improve its flavor and texture.

This fermentation involves an anaerobic process in which microorganisms break down the sugar components into acids, yielding a better food source. This process creates probiotics that aid in segregating serotonin levels.

What are serotonin levels

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that creates mood, stress, appetite, and sexual drive. Please note that most serotonin is produced only by our gut microbiome, which makes up the healthy bacteria in our gut. Today researchers are trying to correlate healthy gut bacteria and lower the depression rate, and this relation between probiotics and mood regulation is still under study by experts.

Bananas

Can you believe that a simple fruit can ease your mood? A banana is a rich source of vitamin B6 that helps signal neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin.

Also Read: The Japanese robot can peel bananas clean most of the time

What is dopamine

Dopamine is responsible for many bodily functions, including movement, memory, and motivation. A moderate level of dopamine is good for a healthier mood, as a low or high level can cause issues in mental health and other neurological diseases.

136 grams of banana gives 16 grams of sugar and 3.5 grams of fiber. The sugar is slowly discharged into the bloodstream, which creates better mood control as low blood sugar levels may lead to irritability and mood swings. An unripened green banana is an excellent source of prebiotics that feeds healthy bacteria in our gut.

Oats

The cereal grain oats energize your morning routine as they are a good source of fiber and provide 8 grams of fiber in 81 grams of oats. The purpose of fiber is that it slows the digestion of carbs, so it gradually releases the sugar into the bloodstream by maintaining the energy level.

Based on study results, taking fiber as a part of morning breakfast improves mood and gives great energy levels. Though several whole grains are available on the market, oats still follow the top priority as they are an excellent source of iron; 81 grams of oats give 19% of daily iron supplements by reducing the risk of anemia.

Berries

Antioxidants help manage inflammation, which helps combat depression and mood swings, and berries do this work. Berries are a power-packed fruit filled with antioxidants and phenolic compounds, which again fights oxidative stress that creates an imbalance of harmful substance in our body.

Even if one can’t find fresh berries, try to eat frozen, which are made to ripen at the right time to retain the maximum amount of oxidants present in them.

Also Read: These Are The Worst Fruits Ever

Nuts and seeds

Plant-based nuts and seeds are rich in good fat and fiber as they provide tryptophan, a kind of amino acid responsible for producing mood-boosting serotonin.

Also Read: Huge List of the 20 Different Types of Nuts You Can Eat and Cook With (Photos)

Nuts and seeds that can be consumed

Nuts like almonds, cashews, peanuts, and walnuts are best for nuts, and seeds like pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and sunflower seeds are excellent sources of tryptophan to improve the mood. Consuming this supports a healthy brain as these diets promote fresh and whole foods, thus limiting processed food intake.

Other nuts and seeds like Brazil nuts, almonds, and pine nuts, are good sources of Zinc and selenium. Zinc deficiency can lead to an imbalance in brain function and increases the risk of depression, and this research is still in its process. According to ten years of clinical research performed on 15,980 people, moderate intake of nuts can reduce the risk of depression by 23%

Also Read: The 10 Most Expensive Types of Nuts in the World

Coffee

It’s a piece of great news for coffee lovers as coffee being the world’s most popular drink, can improve our mood to a great level. The caffeine compound in coffee prevents a naturally occurring compound called adenosine, which is the reason it promotes tiredness in the brain; this drinking coffee increases the alertness and attention of people with whom their brain gets tired so easily.

Caffeine in coffee increases the release of mood-boosting neurotransmitters, such as dopamine and norepinephrine. According to a study conducted on 72 people, caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee improves mood substantially compared with a placebo beverage, suggesting that coffee contains other compounds that influence mood.

Also Read: Top 12 Best Benefits of Coffee

Beans and lentils

Like nuts and seeds, beans and lentils are good sources of protein that feed our brain nutrients and improve mood. An excellent source of vitamin B helps improve mood by increasing levels of neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, and gamma-aminobutyric acid that aids in regulating mood.

It helps in giving nerve signaling that allows proper communication between nerve cells. Low levels of these vitamins, especially B12 and folate, have been linked to mood disorders like depression. Like nuts and seeds, beans and lentils are rich in Zinc, magnesium, selenium, and non-heme iron, which may elevate our mood.

Also Read: Eating Habits That Assist In Getting A Lean Body And Healthy Weight Easier

Grass-Fed Beef

The main reason for preferring grass-fed beef rather than non-grass fed is its lower fat level. Grass-fed beef is leaner and tends to have lower meat, which reduces cholesterol levels and lower calories. This grass-fed beef is also rich in omega- 3 fatty acids that improve the body and mood.

This Grass-fed beef is rich in fatty acid, which is good for the heart and must be necessary for the brain as omega-3 plays an important role in the body. With this meat, one can get three times more omega-3 than grass-fed beef.

Cows raised in confined spaces are fed on grains that stimulate their growth hormones. In contrast, the Grass-fed beef animals are accelerated by hormones and instead mature naturally, eating the nutrients and seed brought about by the spring as this improves the beta-carotene, vitamin E, and omega-3 levels.

Moreover, grass-fed beef tastes better than regular beef because of omega-3 levels; taste and nutrition are better in grass-fed beef. When we look at evolution, cows are naturally fed with grass, so feeding them with genetically modified products like corn or other grain might earn good profits for the farm owner and be more economical, but it is bad for their health.

Also Read: How to boost your immune system for a healthy you

Fish and flax seeds

Fish is naturally rich with Omega 3 fatty acids, just like beef, and it has anti-depressive benefits; eating a 3-ounce serving of fish two or three times a week can improve the mood and fight against depression.

The American Heart Association advocates eating a minimum of two servings of fatty fish weekly to protect against cardiovascular disease. It also has an impact on mood disorders.

A new study conducted on 106 healthy people without any signs of depression showed low blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids scored worse than those with high levels on tests designed to assess mood, personality, and impulsive behavior. And that’s why a country like Japan eats more omega- 3 fatty acids in its diet plan than the American diet.