There was once a time when medical professionals told the world that food and drink had zero effect on your brain function, hormones, or moods like happiness. But this has been proven to be false. You don’t need studies to show how certain foods affect your body, it’s easy to see with your own eyes. Someone who has a diet of mostly carbs and fatty foods will most likely be overweight, unmotivated, and less cheerful. A person whose diet consists of healthy fruits and veggies, lean meats, and a bit of exercise are drastically happier, healthier, and more motivated to continue the healthy lifestyle. What we put in our bodies directly affects what comes out on the exterior. Our skin, hair, mood, etc. all depends on the foods we eat. So, with that knowledge, why not choose foods that are proven to increase our happiness more than others? Here are 10 delicious foods to boost your mood and happiness without the aid of medications.
- Yummy Swiss Chard
When women are pregnant, our doctors drill it into us: increase your folic acid immediately. Pregnant women are prone to depression during and after pregnancy, and folic acid directly affects that, in a good way. And guess what? Swiss chard is jam packed full of folic acid. You can add it to salads, blend in a smoothie, or bake in the oven for crispy chips. But it’s not just for women because Swiss chard has such amazing mood-boosting benefits, anyone can reap the rewards.
- Delectable Dark Chocolate
Do we really need to sit here and convince you to eat chocolate? Probably not. But we may as well explain why it’s so amazing. Pure, dark chocolate (65% cocoa and up) is high in flavonols, which help increase the level of content and calm that a person feels. So, with that knowledge, we can conclude that chocolate can relieve stress and make you feel increased levels of happiness.
- Extraordinary Eggs
There’s a reason why
eggs are a strong part of every great diet plan. They rock! Out of all the foods that help mood, eggs are at the top. Their (good) fats and fatty acids produce much-needed serotonin in our bodies. And for those of you who don’t know, serotonin helps to battle anxiety, depression, sleep apnea and insomnia, and muscle ad brain fatigue. So, not only are they delicious, they’re superfoods, too!
- Awesome Almonds
Almonds are another super food that we see in most diets and that because they’re packed with nutrients such as folate and magnesium. Top notch brain health requires steady levels of magnesium in our bodies and it helps to cure depression. Depression is a widespread problem in North America, and it's crazy how a change in our diets can drastically help alleviate that.
- Lovely Lentils
Remember what we said about folic acids? They help to fight off depression so foods high in folate are a must have if you’re hoping to tackle issues with depression. Did you know that just one, single cup of lentils per day gives you almost 90% of your daily need of folic acids? That’s huge! There’s no excuse, anyone can work one measly cup of lentils into their diet, come on!
- Peppy Pumpkin Seeds
Zinc deficiencies are very common in children and women, but they can also affect men, too. Getting kids to take vitamins or supplements that make you happy isn’t always so easy with their temperaments, and if they’re dealing with low zinc levels in their bodies then they’re already super moody and agitated. So, what’s the solution? Yummy treats, of course! Pumpkins seeds are full of zinc and are super tasty. Bake them in the oven with spices, add them to salads, or whip up some homemade trail mix. Either way, get that zinc in their bodies!
- Oh So Good Oatmeal
Oatmeal, blah. Right? It’s so boring and tasteless. But guess what? Oatmeal is bursting with high levels of magnesium, and you remember what magnesium does for the body, right? It drastically improves your mental state, mood, and even stabilizes your body’s blood sugar levels. So, give oatmeal a break and find some ways to spice it up. Put it in cookies, add some fruit, mix it in with your homemade trail mix. The options are endless.
- Honey, Honey
Honey is almost as awesome as chocolate, and makes this list so much sweeter (pun intended). Adding honey to things like tea, cookies, and toast, is an easy way to work it into your diet. And since honey is a natural sweetener, it’s a great idea to use it as a replacement for your usual refined sugars and sweeteners. You’ll notice a major difference in your body within days.
- Flaxseed Oil
Okay, so, with the increase of fast foods and quick snacks, people have been slowly depriving their bodies of much-needed omega-3. We get this from things like fish, salmon, nuts, and seeds. One seed, in particular, flaxseed, produces an oil that can be added to just about anything and is chock full of healthy omega-3. And for those of you who don’t know, omega-3 is essential to fighting depression and improving mood.
- Amazing Asparagus
Again, we come back to the folic acid. But it’s because folic acid plays a huge part in boosting mood, fighting depression, and improving mental health. So why not choose foods that are high in it? If you’re experiencing some major mood swings or starting to feel a little down in the dumps, add a bit of asparagus to your diet and see the improvements within days. And with this list of delicious, healthy foods why not whip up and create your own personal recipe books? These items offer endless options for great snack foods, as well as healthy additions to any recipe. There’s no excuse. Eat your way healthy!
