Do The Foods You Eat Influence Your Moods?

Everyone knows that a potato chip binge is bound to make you feel lousy, but not many people know why. Nor do they know what other foods have the same effect, or can reverse the effect. Every food has a purpose; to give your body nutrients, of course, but also to make you feel a certain way, or to help you overcome a feeling. Sounds like another food myth, huh? Well actually, there are hundreds of “mood foods” that do just that, change your mood.

In a well-balanced meal, it is common to combine carbs with protein, however, when eaten separately, they can each take on a different role. High protein foods boost alertness, while carbs induce relaxation and stress relief. Alert foods include fish, poultry, meat, and eggs. Calming foods include whole wheats and brown rice.
For every mood, there is a food used to enhance it, or change it. The following are examples:

• Antidepressant: Caffeine, rice
Tip: Drink coffee in the morning, but limit yourself to only one cup.

• Concentration: Eggs, popcorn, pretzels
Tip: Eat high cholesterol foods that include choline.

• Pre-sleep snack: Yogurt, chamomile tea

• Ease boredom: Avoid high carbs, eat high proteins

• Ease anger: Grapefruit, meat
Tip: Eating a steak when feeling angry or frustrated is good because it takes effort to chew, which releases aggression.

• Energy: Raisins, oranges, sunflower seeds, tuna

• PMS Cure: Include plenty of carbs in your diet, but reduce your portion size.

• Prevent heart disease: Red wine, dark chocolate

• Happiness: Salmon, bananas

• Quick Tip: Green vegetables are a neutral mood food.

• “In The Mood” Foods (Isn’t this the part you’ve been waiting for all along?): These foods have been proven to boost your romance before you can say Casa Nova: Chocolate, ginger, honey, garlic, cinnamon, ginseng, oysters, spicy foods, and vanilla.

• Find happiness in a Hershey’s
Phenylethylkamine, a chemical found in cocoa, can also be found in the blood stream when one is in love. No wonder we get a feeling of euphoria while chowing down on a chocolate bar.

So, the next time you and your friend are cramming for finals and your stomach starts to rumble, you’ll know exactly what to reach for. Or if you’re planning a big night with your honey, try an appetizer of oysters, a well-known aphrodisiac, then serve yourself as dessert. Now there’s a mood food!

For information on other mood foods, try some of these websites:

• http://www.afpafitness.com/articles/FOODMOOD.HTM
• http://ivy_league0.tripod.com/rhyme_of_the_ancient_wanderer/id40.html
• http://www.originalsource.co.uk/hints_tips/index.asp?id=1
• http://www.more2hug.com/articles/moodfood.html

Tracy Tallman
Living Well Columnist

This column is devoted to delivering info that'll keep you living better, naturally, and healthy.

Questions? Feel free at tracy@enliv.com