6 Delicious Foods That Can Boost Your Mood

One of the biggest influences on your health is your diet. The foods that you choose can make a huge difference in your physical health – we’re all aware of this. But food has a huge influence on your mental health too, including your mood. Some foods will help to keep your mood more stable and generally positive, while others tend to cause irritability, mood swings, and a generally more negative mood.

When your mood is more stable and positive, your levels of cortisol (the main stress hormone) will be lower. That, in turn, helps to support better skin health and even better health overall. Plus it just feels better to be in a good mood than a bad one – happiness is a valuable goal in itself.

If you’ve been struggling with mood swings or feelings of depression or anxiety, shifting your eating habits could be the key. How can food affect your mood? And if you’re hoping to stabilize and boost your mood, what are some foods that can help?

How does food affect your mood?

It’s clear that the choices you make about the food you eat can have a huge impact on how you feel. There are a few different ways that food can affect your mood:

• Nutrients. Your brain needs the right nutrients to function well. Without the proper materials, your brain won’t be able to make all of the signaling chemicals that it needs, and the membranes surrounding your brain cells may not be fluid enough to function properly.

• Inflammation. Chronic inflammation is known to interfere with brain function. Foods that cause chronic inflammation in your body will tend to prevent your brain from functioning well. 

• Blood sugar. When your blood sugar is low, it’s difficult for your brain to function well. However, when your blood sugar spikes too high, this causes damage to the brain. Stable blood sugar levels that don’t fluctuate too much will be best for brain function.

• Gut microbiome. As I frequently discuss, the bacteria in your gut have a huge influence on the function of your entire nervous system. The foods that you eat determine which bacteria are able to grow well inside of your digestive tract.

• Neurotransmitters (brain signaling chemicals). Certain foods produce spikes in neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin. This can make these foods highly rewarding, and they may even feel addictive. However, the spikes in these brain chemicals don’t last long, and a crash generally comes soon after – which drags your mood down along with it.

Processed foods, especially those that are high in sugar, saturated fats, and/or trans fats, tend to interfere with brain function in several different ways. They generally lack nutrients, so your brain won’t have what it needs. They often trigger inflammation, and they promote the growth of unhealthy bacteria in your gut, which affects your body in many different ways. These foods produce a huge spike in dopamine and serotonin, followed by a crash. And sugary foods also cause a huge spike in your blood sugar.

Ultimately, sugary, fatty, or highly processed foods will tend to trash your mood. Even if eating them makes you feel good in the short term, they have a tendency to make you feel lethargic, irritable, anxious, or depressed over the longer term.

A diet that focuses mainly on whole foods, especially plant foods, tends to be far better for mental health. In fact, research has shown that people who follow this type of eating pattern generally have better brain function, with a reduced risk of brain-related diseases like dementia as well as a more stable and generally positive mood.

Specific Foods for Better Brain Function and Mood

So if you’re looking to improve your brain function and your mood, what foods should you focus on?

There’s no one magic food that will transform your mood on its own. However, certain foods are excellent sources of important nutrients that your brain needs to function well. These are also whole foods, which avoid the problems caused by sugary and processed foods. Here are 6 specific foods that research has linked to better brain function and mood.

1. Leafy Greens

Pretty much any list of healthy foods is going to include leafy greens, because they’re just so nutrient-dense. Leafy greens contain many different nutrients that help to support brain function, including vitamin K and beta carotene. They’ve even been shown to help prevent age-related cognitive decline. You have a variety of types of leafy greens to choose from, including kale, spinach, collard greens, or chard. 

2. Fatty Fish

Omega-3 fatty acids are the healthiest type of fat, with benefits for the skin as well as the brain. They enter into cell membranes in brain cells, keeping them fluid so that they can function well. Omega-3s also help to keep blood vessels healthy, ensuring that the brain has the blood flow that it needs to function at its best, and they also help to keep inflammation under control. Fatty fish, like salmon, trout, and sardines, contain more healthy omega-3s than any other type of food. To maximize the benefits, it’s best to eat fish that are as fresh as possible. 

3. Olive and Avocado Oils

Besides fish, there are also other sources of omega-3s. Oils in general are healthier than saturated fats like butter, but not all oils are equivalent. Certain oils, including olive oil and avocado oil, are particularly high in omega-3s. Switching to cooking with these oils instead of with butter or other oils is an easy way to get more omega-3s in your diet. Choose cold-pressed oils, because high heat breaks down omega-3 fatty acids.

4. Nuts

Some nuts, including walnuts, almonds, and pistachios, also contain high levels of omega-3s. In addition, nuts are high in protein, which helps to keep you full so that you’re less tempted to eat unhealthy snacks. Nuts also contain compounds like fiber and polyphenols that help to keep your gut microbiome healthy. Nuts make a quick and easy snack option that’s also healthy, and they can be a delicious addition to salads or topping for yogurt or oatmeal.

5. Berries

Berries contain healthy compounds like flavonoids, which give berries their bright colors. Flavonoids have been shown to reduce oxidative stress, promote the health of the microbiome, and even improve memory. Virtually any type of berry is a fantastic and healthy option, including blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries. Berries make a great snack or dessert, and are also easy to include with any meal.

6. Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate contains flavonoids and other antioxidants that help to improve brain function and mood, while reducing inflammation. It’s important to watch out for the sugar and milk found in many chocolate bars, which offsets the health-promoting effect. The healthiest type of chocolate is as dark as you can stand (ideally at least 70%, but darker is even better). Dark chocolate does still contain some sugar, so don’t overdo it – just have a few pieces at a time.

Exploring the connection between food and mood

It’s clear that the food you eat can have a huge impact on your mood. Now, I’d like to encourage you to explore this connection in your own life, and how you can best support a stable and positive mood in your own life. 

Grab your journal and a pen, and spend some time with the following questions. Do your best not to plan out what you’re going to say, or to edit it as you go. Simply write freely until you feel like you’ve thoroughly explored each question.

• How often do you reach for sugary, fatty, or packaged foods?

• Do you use these foods as an emotional coping mechanism? If so, how do these foods impact your mood in the minutes, hours, and days after you eat them?

• What healthier coping mechanisms could you try instead, to help you eat less of these mood-trashing foods?

• How often do you eat each of the six mood-boosting foods on the list above?

• Which mood-boosting food do you feel most drawn to eat more of? How could you include this food in your eating plan more often?

• Commit to following through on your plan to add mood-boosting foods and remove mood-trashing ones.