January 20, 2023

Food has a huge impact on our body and brain. According to the results of a Columbia University study in the United States, poor nutrition can cause symptoms such as severe depression, anxiety, and aggression. The expression ‘I’m hungry and angry’ is not for nothing. Changing your diet and eating the right foods can greatly benefit your mental health.

Registered Dietitian Rachel Engelhart, an expert on ‘intuitive eating’ in the United States, said, “Some foods can help you feel positive and increase your energy levels.” ‘Intuitive eating’, a concept emerging these days, is eating food according to the instinct of appetite. To put it to the extreme, eat when you’re hungry and stop eating when you’re full. The health portal ‘The Healthy’ of the American magazine ‘Readers Digest’ introduced ‘7 foods that make you feel the most.’

1. Oily Fish

Seafood such as salmon, mackerel, and tuna are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are ‘healthy fats’. It is good for the whole body, including the heart, eyes and brain. “Omega-3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory and enter the brain and directly affect mood-regulating molecules and neurotransmitters,” says Registered Dietitian Kelsey Lorenz. A lack of omega-3 fatty acids can lead to mood disorders such as depression and anxiety. According to a study published in the international journal Frontiers in Physiology, most of us are not getting enough omega-3 fats in our diet.

2. Yogurt

“The bacteria in your gut can actually produce neurotransmitters that make you feel good, such as serotonin and dopamine,” says Registered Dietitian Lorenz. Previous studies have identified specific bacteria that have a potent effect on triggering these chemicals. It is a strain called ‘Lactobacillus’. According to a study published in the journal Nature, feeding your gut with these good bacteria, found naturally in foods like yogurt and sauerkraut, can help alleviate depression and stress.

3. Banana

Bananas are rich in vitamin B6. This is one of the nutrients that affect the production of the ‘happiness hormone’ serotonin. Bananas contain prebiotic fibers that make you feel happy. Bananas also help with sleep.

4. Cottage Cheese

Cottage cheese contains the amino acid L-Tyrosine. This component is needed to make two neurotransmitters (dopamine and norepinephrine) that affect mood and can be easily depleted. Soy products, chicken, fish, nuts, seeds, avocados, and bananas are also rich in this element. In particular, it contains a lot of amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins that are essential for making and using hormones that make you feel good. Cottage cheese contains a mineral (selenium) that can alleviate depression.

5. Nuts and Seeds

Magnesium is a mineral that helps the body produce energy. Not getting enough of it can cause irritability, anxiety, insomnia and agitation. Seeds such as almonds, walnuts, pumpkin, and sesame seeds are rich in tryptophan, an amino acid linked to good mood, and other essential nutrients. Nuts and seeds can be an excellent vegetarian source of omega-3 fatty acids. It helps to strengthen the intestines and reduce inflammation.

6. Oyster

It is known as an aphrodisiac or an aphrodisiac. It’s debatable, but it’s true that it’s a great mood booster. Zinc reduces anxiety and depression, and tyrosine, an amino acid, helps produce dopamine, a hormone that makes you feel good. If you don’t like oysters, you can expect some effects from eggs, nuts, and legumes.

7. Favorite snacks

Eating a variety of foods can greatly help with the production of hormones that make you feel good. Being too strict with yourself and critical of your food choices can have a negative impact on your mood. Drinking delicious coffee, eating delicious desserts, or eating at your favorite restaurant is good for your mental health. Also, dark chocolate contains natural serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that affects the regulation of mood, emotions, behavior, and sleep. If you look at the results of the 2022 study, dark chocolate is good for mental health with a prebiotic effect of the intestines.

8. Bonus: Water

Although not food, water has a value to be cherished. Staying well hydrated can easily improve your mood. Drinking enough water can prevent headaches, brain fog, fatigue, and body aches. Studies have shown that increasing water intake to an appropriate level reduces symptoms such as low mood, tension, and depression.