I'm a nutritionist – here's 6 mood boosting foods you need in your kitchen | The Sun
You are what you eat, as the old saying goes.
And this isn't limited to just your physical health.
According to experts, your diet can affect your mental health just as much as it can affect your body.
In 2018 the link between food and mood was brought home in research published in the Journal of World Psychiatry.
The researchers found that certain foods are consistently associated with a reduced risk of depression.
Hannah Braye, a nutritional therapist at Bio-Kult, explained what foods are worth having in your kitchen which can substantially boost your mood.
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1. Fruits and vegetables
"Fruit and vegetables are rich in nutrients, including antioxidants and it is reported they may modify brain serotonin status and have a positive effect on mood," Hannah explained.
"Aiming for two fruit and at least five portions of vegetables a day is a good target," she said.
"Eating a variety of different coloured fruit and veg may be particularly beneficial, as the different colour pigments reflect the different micronutrients each contains." she added.
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For example, orange fruit and veg are a source of beta-carotene which converts in the body to vitamin A.
Whilst purple varieties, like aubergines, contain proanthocyanidins which boosts vitamin C and red varieties contain antioxidants.
2. Fermented foods and live bacteria supplements
The gut is increasingly being seen as the second brain.
So it’s perhaps unsurprising that studies are showing promising results in mood disorders.
"Our gut bacteria (the microbiome) produce numerous neurotransmitters and help to regulate the signals that are sent from the gut to the brain, via neurological, immunological and hormonal pathways," Hannah explained.
"Traditionally fermented foods such as live plain yoghurt, kefir (a fermented milk drink), sauerkraut, kimchi and kombucha are a great way to introduce new and varied beneficial microorganisms to the gut," the expert added.
These can be purchased from health food stores, many supermarkets or easily made at home.
3. Prebiotic foods
A further way to support the growth of beneficial species in the gut is to increase intake of prebiotic foods.
"Prebiotics are types of fibre which are indigestible by humans but which provide a food source for beneficial species in the gut," Hannah said,
"Fibre rich foods (plants) are the best source of prebiotics.
"Eating a wide variety of plant foods has been shown to be of particular benefit for microbial diversity in the gut.
"Foods especially high in prebiotics include: onions, garlic, leeks, spring onion, slightly green bananas, dandelion, Jerusalem artichoke and asparagus," she added.
4. Tryptophan rich foods
Tryptophan is an essential amino acid, the body cannot create it and we must obtain it from the food we eat.
According to Hannah, tryptophan is a "pre-cursor to serotonin (our happy hormone)."
"Ensuring you have good sources of tryptophan in the diet, such as turkey, beef, bananas, beans, cottage cheese, nuts and seeds is therefore important," the expert said.
"Interestingly, research also suggests that the composition of our gut bacteria can affect the metabolism of tryptophan, increasing the pool available for conversion to serotonin in the brain.
"Another reason to look after your gut health!" she added.
5. Magnesium rich foods
Magnesium is an essential mineral used in the human body.
"The anti-anxiety potential of magnesium has been extensively demonstrated in animal research and a relationship between magnesium status and anxiety is also evident in humans," Hannah explained.
Studies have shown that when someone is anxious they excrete more magnesium in their urine than normal – this can leave them deficient.
Lower levels of magnesium have been associated with increased anxiety.
Magnesium has also been found to regulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which plays a central role in the stress response.
"Foods particularly high in magnesium include leafy green vegetables (e.g. kale, spinach, collard greens), avocado, nuts and tofu," Hannah said.
6. Foods rich in Vitamin D
Certain types of low mood, such as seasonal affective disorder (SAD) have been linked to low vitamin D levels during the winter months.
"Research indicates that vitamin D helps maintain serotonin concentrations in the brain," the expert said.
"Fat soluble vitamin D is synthesised in the skin from cholesterol after exposure to UV rays.
"Between October and April in the UK we cannot synthesise adequate amounts of vitamin D from the sun and it is now well known that many people in the UK are deficient," she said.
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If you’re feeling low, it's worth getting your vitamin D levels checked and supplementing if needed is recommended.
Hannah added: "Vitamin D is found in only a few foods such as eggs, oily fish and mushrooms, so as we come into the spring/summer months, try and spend some time outdoors each day with your arms/legs and face exposed."
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