7 Foods To Boost Your Mood On A Cold Gloomy Day
A list of “happiness hormones” (also known as serotonin) and other feel-good hormone-inducing foods you can add to your plate this summer.
Summer can be harsh. The chilly weather, intermittent rain, and lonely atmosphere make it feel like a dark season. It is easy to feel a little blue or even fall into seasonal depression during these times. It is even easier to turn to “comfort foods” well...for comforting reasons. But, said comfort foods are more often than not, junk foods that do more harm than good.
Loline Mag has brought you a list of scientifically-proven foods to boost your mood and help you get through this summer with a smile on your face and a spring in your boots.
The relationship between food and mood has been in research for several decades. Scientists have found a direct link between how we feel and what we eat. The food we eat affects our brain chemicals, neurotransmitters, and certain foods do so more than others. Here’s a list of “happiness hormones” (also known as serotonin) and other feel-good hormone-inducing foods you can add to your plate this summer.
1. Avocados
Avocados consist of vitamin B, which is an essential nutrient in strengthening the performance of your white blood cells. Furthermore, Avocados contain a high amount of folate, a substance that regulates your mood and produces serotonin and dopamine. Eating avocados will help you sleep better, feel calm and be in a relatively good mood. You can eat them alone or incorporate them with other salads or sandwiches. Avocados are also good for the skin as they contain Vitamin E, another reason to add them to your grocery list.
2. Sweet potato
Sweet potatoes have a lot of uses aside from being the occasional 2nd choice meal to potatoes. The fiber and magnesium in sweet potatoes make them a perfect natural source of carbohydrates. Magnesium helps reduce anxiety and makes you feel more rested, decreasing your chances of depression. You can enjoy sweet potatoes boiled or roasted in an oven for better serving.
3. Yogurt
This beverage comprises bacteria, the good kind that we call Probiotics. They are known to regulate the natural balance of gut bacteria. Probiotics are even used to treat several mental health issues like anxiety, depression, OCD, and, recently proven, autism. A yogurt a day could keep the gloomy feel away.
4. Gomen
Green leafy vegetables are excellent sources of Vitamin B. These mood regulators are also serotonin producers. A dark green vegetable like Gomen is an ideal source of folate. You can eat Gomen, a delicious Ethiopian dish loved by many, or opt for other leafy green salads with dark colors as they are the best folate providers.
5. Bananas
Bananas are famous for being rich in potassium. They also contain mood-regulating essential amino acids like tryptophan. This is later converted into serotonin, the happiness hormone we now know and love. You can consume bananas as snacks or as toppings in different dishes. Now we know why the minions are always so happy.
6. Oats
Oats are good to add to your summer plate as they are rich in selenium, a famous mood stabilizer. Oats are slow-burning complex carbohydrates. This characteristic allows them to stabilize blood sugar levels and supply long-lasting energy unlike white bread or sugar, which only give quick energy rushes.
7. Dark chocolate
This list would not be complete without everyone’s guilty pleasure treat. Chocolate in its raw form, cacao, is a source of antioxidants, theobromine, N-acylethanolamine, and other mood-boosting chemicals. The bad reputation of chocolate usually comes with the addition of sugar and fat, making it a lot less healthy. But dark chocolate has fewer extra ingredients and more cocoa. It has also proven to be a healthy stress reliever. Moderate consumption of dark chocolate can help you eliminate the gloomy feel of this cold season.
Weather changes affect our moods in more ways than we can imagine. It is normal to be in the doldrums, but we can find natural and healthy ways to beat the gloom feel of this season. You can incorporate these ingredients into your grocery list this weekend and get up to speed with your summer. Remember, summer doesn’t last forever, but you can make the best of it while it is here.
