When feeling blue, you may crave calorie-rich, high sugar foods like ice cream or cookies to try to lift your spirits. While this might give you a sugar rush, it’s unlikely to help you in the long term — and may have negative consequences as well. Instead, you should aim for wholesome foods that have been shown to not only boost your mood but also your overall health. Below you can find 9 of these foods.
Fatty fish: Fatty fish like salmon and albacore tuna are rich in two types of omega-3s that are linked to lower levels of depression.
Dark chocolate: Not only does the sugar of dark chocolate boost your mood, but it may also release a cascade of feel-good compounds, such as caffeine, theobromine, and N-acylethanolamine — a substance chemically similar to cannabinoids that has been linked to improved mood.
Fermented foods: Fermented foods, which include kimchi, yogurt, kefir, kombucha, and sauerkraut, may improve gut health and mood.
Bananas: Being rich in vitamin B6, bananas synthesize feel-good neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin.
Oats: Fiber helps slow your digestion of carbs, allowing for a gradual release of sugar into the bloodstream to keep your energy levels stable. You can enjoy them in many forms, such as overnight oats, oatmeal, muesli, and granola.
Berries: Although the mechanism isn’t clear, a diet rich in antioxidants may help manage inflammation associated with depression and other mood disorders. Fortunately, berries pack a wide range of antioxidants.
Nuts and seeds: These foods are high in plant-based proteins, healthy fats, and fiber—all of which support a healthy brain.
Coffee: The caffeine in coffee prevents a naturally occurring compound called adenosine from attaching to brain receptors that promote tiredness, therefore increasing alertness and attention. Moreover, it increases the release of mood-boosting neurotransmitters, such as dopamine and norepinephrine.
Beans and lentils: In addition to being high in fiber and plant-based protein, beans and lentils are full of feel-good nutrients. They’re also a great source of B vitamins, which increase levels of neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine.
