7 Mood Booster Food

Mood swings, low feeling, we heard these words very often nowadays.

When a person experiences sudden happiness, feeling sad, crying is called Mood swings. It is completely normal to a few extents. But when this happens frequently, you need to consult a psychologist or therapist.

Women experience mood swings during menstruation or pregnancy due to hormonal changes.

Due to a busy work schedule or stress, you can feel low, which is completely normal.

You can’t control your thoughts, but you can let them go.

Meditation, reading, listening to music, possessing hobbies help you to control your mood.

But you know?? Along with this, some foods are there, which can suddenly lift up your mood.

When you are stressed, you crave sweets and after taking a few bites of sweets, you feel the boost. But keep in mind frequent consumption of sweets can give rise to obesity, an increase in cholesterol levels, and diabetes.

Food that lifts your mood –

Dark Chocolate – There is a mood-boosting agent in dark chocolate. 

Caffeine, theobromine are helping to lift you up. The natural sugar in chocolate increases blood circulation in the brain.

Also, flavonoids in chocolate maintain your brain health.

Sugar in milk chocolate triggers blood sugar levels in the blood and may give rise to Diabetes. So, dark chocolate is recommended over milk chocolate.

Banana – Banana is rich in calcium and potassium that we all know. Since childhood, we eat bananas for bone health.

But also bananas are rich in Vitamin B6, which works as a good synthesizer for neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin.

Dopamine relates to mood and muscle health and improves your sleep cycle. While serotonin relates to gut health.

Also, the fiber in bananas improves your gut health and helps you to maintain good digestion. 

Nuts and seeds – Nuts and seeds are mostly used as dieting food, as they are whole food and keep you full for a long time. But they play a major role in mental health too.

Nuts and seeds are full of fiber, and protein. Also, they produce amino acid – tryptophan that produces serotonin. And helps to boost your mood.

Some nuts and seeds are good sources of Zinc. Deficiency in zinc can cause depression. So they play a major role in maintaining mental health.

Oats – Oats are a good source of fiber and iron.

Fiber slows the digestion of carbs and reduces sugar slowly which keeps you energetic for a long time. 

Low iron in the body gives rise to fatigue and mood swings. Oats will fill that loss of iron and help to boost your mood.

Omega 3 fatty acid – This is an essential fatty acid, which is not produced in the body. 

Omega 3 fatty acids provide fluidity to brain cells and help in brain development.

Also if you take it in the form of fish oil, it lowers the chances of depression.

You will get the Omega 3 fatty acid from Salmon, Sardines, mackerel fish, Canola oil, walnuts, and flax seeds.

Fermented Food – Fermented food has live bacteria in it. During the process of fermentation lactic acid production is good for gut health and helps to increase serotonin.

Remember not all fermented food is the source of good bacteria or probiotics.

Beer and wine don’t have good bacteria while yogurt, Kimchi, and batter of Idli and Dossa have good bacteria.

Coffee – Coffee is my favorite drink, and worldwide it is popular.

Caffeine in coffee plays an important role in alerting the brain. 

Adenosine in the brain provides receptors of tiredness to the brain. Caffeine prevents this receptor from reaching the brain and increases alertness and attention span.

Also, caffeine releases mood-boosting neurotransmitters.

Another option is Tea which is most of the Indian’s favorite drink. Indian tea made with cardamom makes you fresh instantly and lifts your mood.

Conclusion – 

Mental health is as important as physical health, so don’t compromise with it.

Include yogurt, buttermilk, pickled vegetables, oats, Amarnath, spinach, okra, lentils, avocado, broccoli, quinoa, brown rice, fish in your diet to boost your mood.

Also, enrich your diet with Vitamin D. Morning sun rays are the main source of vitamin D. Milk, milk products and eggs are sources of vitamin D.

Along with food, meditation, walking, and Me time is important to boost your mood.