Food and your mood

Feeling upbeat?  Feeling down in the dumps?  Can the food you eat affect the mood you are in?  Apparently so, according to How Food Affects Your Mood.  Although most “experts” will tell you there is no relationship between eating a lot of candy and a sugar high causing hyperactivity.  But ask any Mom or Dad and they will dispute this.  Want to improve your mood with food?  Here are some suggestions from WebMD and other sources:

1. Don’t Forget the Carbs  - so many times we hear people say, “I am watching my carbs.”  So many times I hear my students say, “that food is high in carbs” as if that is something bad.  We want carbs in our diet – lots of carbs.  Carbs are our primary energy source.  Low carbs=low energy.  But we want “good” carbs in our diet to give us energy. Not refined carbs loaded with added sugar.  Sure that will give you an instant energy boost and then a crash when you feel even more tired.

a.       Is there some science behind carbs and mood?  Yes.  WebMD notes that the amino acid tryptophan enters our brain and promotes synthesis of serotonin.  This promotes a good mood. So one would think protein foods rich in tryptophan would be good mood promoters. Scientists have found that our brains are better are making serotonin from carbs as the amino acids in carbs are better at getting from our bloodstream into our brains. 

b.      What carbs to choose to improve your mood?  Not just any carb will do.  Forget loading up on candy and donuts.  Good mood carbs are also the good-for-you carbs, the whole grains, fruits, vegetables and beans.  They not only will improve your mood but also add important nutrients and fiber to your day.

Choose whole grains

      2.  Shun the Low-Carb diet.  Want to feel tired, fatigued?  Then shun those carbs.  WebMD notes scientists from Arizona State University studied a very low carb (ketogenic) diet and discovered this diet led to more fatigue and actually reduced the study’s participants desire to exercise.  All this in just two weeks of being on the low carb diet.

3.  Add some Omega-3 fats to your day.  In the nutrition class I teach, I ask students day one what is the healthy fat in fish?  Very few students know the answer.  The answer is Omega-3 fats.  These fats are not only heart healthy but Omega-3 fats also promote a good mood. But you don’t have to eat fish to add these good fats to your day because there are 2 kinds of omega 3 fatty acids – one found in fish and one found in plant foods.

a.       What fish provide Omega-3 fats:  Fatty fish such as salmon , lake trout, mackerel, herring, sardines, anchovies and tuna are all good sources of omega 3 fats.

b.      What are plant sources of omega-3 fats?  Walnuts, Flaxseed, flaxseed oil, canola oil and soybean oil.  

Sprinkle some walnuts on your salad

 c.       How can you add some omega-3 fatty acids to your day?  I sprinkle some ground up walnuts on my oatmeal.  One of my students adds some flaxseed to their morning smoothie.  You can cook with canola oil.  And, of course, add some fish to your weekly menu.  I am not a “fish” fan but enjoy a tuna fish salad sandwich.  Many kids will eat fish sticks.  Yes, it has a coating but a way to get some healthy fish into their diet. 

      4.  Start Your Day with a Good Breakfast – it is called the most important meal of the day for a reason. And eating breakfast every day not only  leads to improved mood, but also better memory and you will have more energy all day long.  Skip your breakfast and you may feel more anxious and tired during the day.

a.       What to Eat for a “Healthy” breakfast?  Focus on a whole grain cereal or whole grain bread – all General Mills cereals are whole grain.  Or enjoy a whole grain English muffin, whole grain bagel.  Add some protein like yogurt and some fruit like 100% orange juice, grapefruit juice or fresh fruit like a banana or orange. If you want to add some fat to the meal, spread some tub margarine on your English muffin, buy whole milk yogurt.

   5. Exercise – how does exercise help your mood?   No exercise in your day and you are more likely to be depressed or down in the dumps. 

a.       How does exercise improve your mood?  The Mayo Clinic notes regular exercise leads your brain to release the feel-good endorphins.  And getting in shape builds your self-confidence and helps you feel better about yourself.

b.      Do you have to go to the gym to exercise?  Working out is great but you don’t have to go to the gym to add exercise to your day.  Shovel the snow, wash your car, rake some leaves, gardening in summer or even a walk around the block can all add some movement to your day.

   6.   Eat the Mediterranean Way.  See Best Diets for Health 2018 as the Mediterranean Diet, is ranked as one of the healthiest diets we can eat for overall good health.  Focus on whole grains, fruits and vegetables.  So many people are “watching carbs”.  Yes, start watching how many good carbs you eat each day and aim for at least 3 whole grain foods and 5 A Day of fruits and vegetables.  Not only for good health but eating the Mediterranean way can decrease depression and improve your mood. It may be that the Mediterranean diet add more of the folate vitamin to your day or more vitamin B12.

7.     Focus on Vitamin D – so many Americans, including children, are lacking vitamin D in their day. A lack o, f “D” can result in lower levels of serotonin in your brain.  How much do you need?  600 IU per day.

a.       What foods have vitamin D?  Choose cow’s milk as all cow’s milk is fortified with D.  And cow’s milk may be the best dairy choice for growing kids as drinking cow’s milk seems to lead to better growth in children.  As I noted in my blog, Non-Cow’s Milk and Children’s Height, kids who drank cow’s milk were taller than kids who drank non-cow’s milk.   Choose yogurt fortified with vitamin D.  Most yogurt is but some brands are now on the market that are not fortified with vitamin D.  And choose a yogurt that is 8 ounces or at least 6 ounces.  A serving of dairy is 8 ounces so choosing a yogurt with more ounces means you get more calcium, protein and vitamin D.  

Choose yogurt fortified with vitamin D

 b.      Go Outside – our bodies can make vitamin D when exposed to the sun.  A little harder to do in winter when we are covered up but going outside can always boost your mood.  

So improve your mood with food this week.  Add some carbs to your day, some whole grain carbs, some fruit and veggies.  Enjoy that whole grain cereal for breakfast.  No time for cereal, then make a smoothie with some cow’s milk or yogurt fortified with vitamin D and add some flaxseeds.  Pack a yogurt fortified with vitamin D in your lunch.  Bring a handful of walnuts in a baggy to eat as a snack or sprinkle some chopped walnuts on your cereal or evening salad. 

Sources:  How Food Affects Your Mood,  Fatty fish,  salmon, leads to improved mood,  feel-good endorphins,  Best Diets for Health 2018, blog  Image Sources:  Grains, walnuts, yogurt