As Requested, More on Food for Your Mood
So many of you responded to my blog post Food for your Mood asking for more information that I’ve done a little more research to find out how specific foods that you eat can affect your mood.
As it turns out, what we eat is not only important to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, but it can really make a difference ON your outlook. In the original post, we touched on the types of foods and that might help lift your mood, so I want to expand on that by sharing some specific things you can eat to feel your best.
- Pineapple – According to the article Mood Foods in Men’s Health, eating pineapple can help boost your antioxidants and help fight against those nasty free radicals that can affect memory. Pineapple is also a great source of fiber and is high in Vitamin C.
- Turkey – There’s really no better nap than the one on the couch after a big Thanksgiving dinner. It’s no secret that Turkey contains tryptophan, but it also contains a high amount of phenylalanine. According to an article on Ririan Project, phenylalanine is a chemical that the brain converts to dopamine, “a neurochemical that elevates mood and motivation...” I can’t say much for motivation after a great turkey dinner, but I sure do feel happy, particularly if cranberry is involved.
- Chocolate – I’m excited to be able to put this one on the list. I don’t think I need to explain why chocolate is an immediate pick-me-up, but it just so happens that chocolate helps to stimulate endorphins, which are the hormones your brain produces to help keep you happy. For a great mood boosting chocolately dessert, check the recipe in this USA Weekend article.
- Broccoli – Also on the Ririan Project’s great list of Mood Lifting Foods is a personal favorite of mine: Broccoli. This green veggie is full of B-Vitamins as well as folic acid— which can help counter balance bad mood inducing low folate levels.
- Crab – Crab, along with other selenium-rich foods, can help you maintain a good mood. According to a list on eZine Articles, other selenium-rich foods include Brazil nuts, eggs, and sunflower seeds.
- Lentils – Like broccoli, lentils contain folates to help you keep a good mood and balance folate levels, according to About.com. Other foods that contain folic acid are kale, asparagus, and many breakfast cereals. For a full list of recommended high-folate foods, check out this graph courtesy of the Florida Folic Acid Coalition.
I certainly wouldn’t recommend combining all of these foods (Turkey and broccoli? Sure. But chocolate and crab? Yuck!), but if you use some of them for creative recipes, you can have a mood boosting meal any night of the week. If you have any recipes involving these or other good mood foods, please let us know in the comments.
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sissy Tuesday, February 10, 2009
is there a vegetarian option for tryptophan and phenylalanine rich foods?