Foods for your Moods
Food isn’t just fuel for our bodies, it plays an essential role in our mental and emotional wellbeing as well.
Missed meals, binge eating and starvation diets lead to mood fluctuations and can often cause psychological distress. As we all know, after a tough, emotionally-draining day it’s all too easy to choose chocolate or sugary foods for an instant blood glucose spike and a brief sense of satisfaction.
Buy why does our mood play such an important role in the foods we choose to eat? And how can we make better choices to avoid a vicious cycle that could ultimately lead to systemic dysfunctions?
Let's look at the top 5 neurotransmitters/hormones and chemicals in the brain which affect our mood and therefore our food choices.
Serotonin
90% of this happiness hormone is found in the gastrointestinal tract. Directly associated with appetite, mood and sleep, this hormone is vital for cognitive function including memory and learning. Low serotonin is associated with low self-esteem, insomnia and negative emotions.
Synthesised from the amino acid tryptophan it can be found abundantly in a variety of foods including bananas, cheese, turkey, almonds and soya products. Try to include these foods in your diet to ensure optimal concentration in the body, and remember that folate from fruits, green leafy vegetables, nuts and poultry further ensure optimal serotonin production.
Dopamine
Responsible for regulating pleasure, addictions, emotions and sensory stimuli. This neurotransmitter is primarily synthesised in the brain (plus some in the kidneys) from the amino acid tyrosine and phenylalanine. Foods to reinforce optimal amounts of dopamine include almonds, walnuts, dark chocolate, banana, watermelon, eggs, avocado, yoghurt and omega 3 rich fish including trout and salmon. Berries are a rich source of antioxidants and red wine contains resveratrol which are excellent ways to top up your dopamine levels.
PEA (Phenylethylamine)
PEA is associated with elevated mood, concentration, motivation, heightened senses and sex drive. We need PEA to self-regulate its production to prevent over-excitement and under-stimulation. The body can obtain this from foods which include lentils, chickpeas, flaxseeds, shellfish, salmon, chicken, egg whites, sheep and goat’s milk, as well as dark chocolate.
GABA
Key to helping lower anxiety, depression and insomnia, GABA helps the body produce endorphins (which we know exercise helps produce). Endorphins provide us with a sense of happiness and wellbeing and help reduce pain sensation. To synthesise GABA we need to therefore consume key nutrients including zinc, taurine and Vitamin B6. These can be found in almonds, potatoes, mackerel, liver, lentils, broccoli, brown rice, spinach and oranges.
Oxytocin
This “love/cuddle” hormone is neuropeptide synthesised in the hypothalamus of the brain. Not only hugely important in childbirth and breast-feeding, it is vital for emotional bonding, mood elevation, sexual activity and happiness. To ensure we have optimal levels of oxytocin, the best approach is to eat tryptophan, vitamin B and magnesium rich foods like avocados, dark chocolate, nuts, spinach and yoghurt.
