23 foods that will make you feel happier
Here's a list of the mood-boosting foods that will keep you happy and healthy.
From fast food to a bowl full of leafy greens, snacking on something we enjoy is a guaranteed pick-me-up. But not all food types are good for us in the long term. Here's a list of the mood-boosting foods that will keep you happy and healthy.
Bananas: Packed full of potassium, bananas don’t just provide an energy boost and make you fuller for longer. The curved yellow fruits also help to battle depression due to high levels of tryptophan, which converts into serotonin to produce our happy moods.
Chocolate: For obvious reasons, chocolate makes us very happy. But it doesn’t just provide an instant fix to a low mood, it is also rich in magnesium, which helps calm your muscles and reduce anxiety.
Oysters: Oysters might not be quite as tasty as chocolate, but these slippery shellfish are packed full of essential vitamins for a happier life, including protein, iron, omega 3 fatty acids, calcium and Vitamin C. The high quantity of Omega-3 fatty acids means oysters help to boost brain activity and reduce depression.
Leafy Vegetables: Popeye’s favorite leafy greens have some key components for improving your mood and helping prevent you from becoming depressed. Both folic acid and magnesium are key to mood boosting and can leave you feeling motivated for the rest of the day.
Eggs: If you want your mood to be as sunny as your eggs, then eating them regularly will certainly help. Yolks aren’t just tastiest part of the egg, but they’re also full of L-tryptophan to help increase happy hormones. Eggscellent!
Coffee: A lot of us rely on a regular caffeine fix to boost our mood throughout the day, and it really does just that. But as well as giving us a temporary buzz, coffee is also known to lower risks of depression and increase dopamine and serotonin.
Oranges: High in Vitamin C, oranges are great for antioxidants, but also contain good quantities of Vitamin B and flavonoids, both of which will help to keep your cells healthy, your tiredness levels down and subsequently your energy and happiness levels higher.
Walnuts: Like many nuts, walnuts contain a number of compounds that protect the brain, such as Vitamin E, melatonin, Omega-3 fats and antioxidants. Research has shown that not only do they support brain health, but they can also decrease vulnerability and stress in aging, leading to a longer, happier life.
Kale: The craze for kale is a mystery to some, but there is a good reason. The crunchy green is full of nutrients, such as carotenoids, which are linked to an overall sense of optimism.
Chicken: Chicken contains B12, a vitamin that helps to calm the body. Having low levels of B12 can make you moody and tired, so reach for this white meat if you’re in need of a little pick-me-up.
Mackerel: Mackerel, like most fish, is high in Omega-3, helping to combat the likes of depression and increase brain activity. It also contains Vitamin B, which stops you from feeling the effects of fatigue and keeps you more alert for longer.
Meat: This meat substitute is often unnoticed by meat-lovers, and kept in the vegetarian section of the menu. But for both meat-eaters and veggies, tofu contains high levels of protein with a lower fat and cholesterol content, helping to lift moods.
Avocados: Much like kale, avocados have become a trendy food and a regular addition to salads, breakfasts and more. The reason for this is, while they are a high fat food which will leave you feeling full, they are extremely high in essential nutrients, such as vitamins K, C and E.
Quinoa: Quinoa is another food in the limelight right now, mainly for its flavonoid, which is said to have anti-depressant effects and boost overall happiness.
Turmeric: Turmeric has long been used as a medicine in the Middle East, acting as an anti-inflammatory agent to treat a variety of conditions. But it’s also good for the mind, as it is said to be more beneficial than anti-depressants due to curcumin, one of its healing compounds.
Green Tea: It might be quiet obvious that a herbal tea is good for mental health, but a Japanese study actually found levels of psychological stress can be much lower in people who drink over five cups of green tea a day (even if it is a lot of green tea).
Yoghurt: This perfect addition to fruit and granola is a guaranteed healthy start to the day, but not just for its natural ingredients. Greek yoghurt contains B12, is low in sodium and rich in potassium – perfect for increasing energy levels and reducing that slumping feeling.
Asparagus: This crunchy vegetable ranks among the top 20 foods in terms of its vitamin, mineral and phytonutrient content, meaning it’s guaranteed to give you the nutrients you need. But as well as its healthy goodness, it also contains ingredients that help to fight off excess homocysteine, which can interfere with the production of serotonin.
Sunflower seeds: Sunflower seeds are high in selenium, which is a nutrient believed to make us feel happier, almost upon consumption. As with many seeds, it is recommended they should be included in our diets as a good source of protein and fiber, but just a handful of these will also help to quickly perk us up.
Berries: All berries are crammed full of antioxidants, helping to fight illness. There is also said to be certain flavors in berries that have a chemical similarity to valproic acid, which is a mood-stabilizing drug. On top of that, berries also include a flavonoid that reduces inflammation linked to depression.
Apple: An apple a day is supposed to keep the doctor away, but it also keeps the blues away too. Apples, like most fruit and vegetables, provide the nutrients your body needs help to keep you feeling healthy, happy and calm. But be sure to eat the skin – it’s where most of the good stuff is.
Mushrooms: Mushrooms are an often underrated superfood, but they contain loads of nutrients that help to regulate your mood. They are full of a mineral called selenium and research has found a deficiency of it can lead to a higher risk of depression, anxiety and tiredness.
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VOCABULARY WORDS:
1. Calm (adj.) ~ (of a person, action, or manner) not showing or feeling nervousness, anger, or other emotions
2. Slippery (adj.) ~ (of a surface or object) difficult to hold firmly or stand on because it is smooth, wet, or slimy
3. Craze (n.) ~ an enthusiasm for a particular activity or object that typically appears suddenly and achieves widespread but short-lived popularity
4. Limelight (n.) ~ the focus of public attention
5. Interfere (v.) ~ prevent (a process or activity) from continuing or being carried out properly
6. Underrate (v.) ~ underestimate the extent, value, or importance of (someone or something)
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:
1. What kinds of food make you happy or feel good?
2. Are you familiar with the kinds of food mentioned above? Which ones do you like and dislike?
3. Do you usually eat for pleasure or for sustenance? Discuss your answer.
