Good Mood Food: Foods To Make You Happy

Published on January 3rd, 2023

Last updated on March 7th, 2023

bald afro American young woman is laughing on orange background

We sometimes have bad moods, don’t we? But few people know about natural antidepressants. You can find them among ordinary foods. To be happy, a person needs to eat. That’s right, and you heard right! Substances in some foods can affect our nervous system and emotional state. A lack of magnesium, for example, can cause sadness and a “gloomy” mood. What foods make our lives happy, joyful, and carefree? As a rule, it can be chocolate, coffee, or nuts. Regardless of age, gender, nationality, social status, or position – we all want to be happy. And it’s good that nutrition can help us to do this. In any case, you should include several products in your diet. The body needs to produce the so-called happiness hormone. We will provide you with a list of foods that will make you a happy and cheerful person. And also, in this article, we will learn why some food is considered “good mood food” and can make us happy.

What Food Is Appropriate For A “Good Mood Food” Diet?

sliced strawberry on pink background

Food can make you happy on three occasions:

  • First, when we eat foods that help us produce hormones. They are responsible for our emotional mood. These are endorphins, the happy hormones, and serotonin, in charge of a good mood;
  • Secondly, when we eat foods containing large amounts of B vitamins;
  • Thirdly, when we eat foods with a low glycemic index, such as apples, oranges, beans, bran bread, and soy.

Let’s take a look at some healthy, happy food.

1. Blueberries

Blueberries contain a full range of nutrients. Thus it is an ideal product to improve your mood:

  • It has a pleasant taste;
  • It is rich in vitamins and antioxidants;
  • It activates positive reactions;
  • It responds to signals of well-being in the brain.

But these qualities are inherent in many other berries. For example, you can add blackberries and currants to your good-mood diet.

2. Fermented foods

Gut health is directly related to our emotions. Taking probiotics increases the content of neurochemicals of happiness in the body. These are dopamine and serotonin. Thus, fermented foods are suitable for improving our well-being. You can add to your diet:

  • kombucha;
  • kefir;
  • sauerkraut;
  • yogurt.

3. Tomatoes

We already know how vital fiber in vegetables is for our health. But their value does not stop there. Here’s another leader in biotin, the vitamin that keeps us happy and alert. So we can consider tomatoes a mood food supplement. British scientists experimented on mice:

  • The first group consumed biotin supplements. And they happily squeaked and ate cheese;
  • Others ate foods that didn’t contain biotin. It made them lazy and sad.

So it is not difficult to conclude from these results.

4. Tofu Cheese

Have you tried soy cheese yet? If you haven’t, you’d better fill the gap. Tofu contains record amounts of the amino acid tryptophan. This amount is about 747 mg per 100 grams of the product. This acid is a precursor of the hormone serotonin. This hormone gives feelings of joy and well-being.

5. Oatmeal

One of the foods to make you happy is oatmeal. The British love oatmeal and are world-famous for it:

  • they rarely get depressed;
  • they are generally described as a positive, calm nation.

Oatmeal is a complex carbohydrate. It digests slowly in the stomach and gradually raises blood sugar levels helping to keep blood sugar under control for a long time. It means your energy will always be high, so the anger of constant hunger will not scare you.

6. Cashews

These sweet nuts are high in magnesium. This mineral keeps the nervous system normal and counteracts stress. Use it in your good-mood diet. Also, the Institute of Psychiatry in England made an important statement. People suffering from depression always have low levels of magnesium in their blood. Now you know what to replenish it with.

7. Baklava

This oriental sweet contains walnuts or pistachios. They are high in omega-3 fatty acids. Cooks also impregnate them with honey. It only enhances the benefits of such a treat. We do not recommend eating it regularly because of its high sugar content. But, once a week, you can cheer yourself up this way.

8. White Beans

As an alternative, you can eat white beans instead of needle ones. They contain substances that promote the production of dopamine and norepinephrine. And these hormones are responsible for joy and a sense of cheerfulness and pleasure. So we can call it good mood food for sure.

9. Walnuts

This is the leader among nuts in omega-3 fatty acids (there are as many as in fish). That’s why walnut lovers feed their brains with the right substances. And so they reward themselves with the ability to feel happy. So, if you wonder how food makes you happy, you need to read about plant fat’s benefits.

10. Mushrooms

The plant protein of mushrooms contains the amino acid tyrosine. It stimulates the production of dopamine and noradrenaline. Mushrooms also contain biotin (vitamin B7). Biotin is rarely found in foods. But it is no less necessary for the normal functioning of the nervous system.

11. Chickpeas

One more excellent mood food supplement is peas. Central Asian beans are famous for their high folic acid, calcium, and zinc content. Calcium from chickpeas is absorbed no worse than from milk. Remember that the beans should be soaked in cold water for at least 6 hours before cooking.

12. Сod

This northern fish contains taurine, an amino acid. It improves metabolic processes between body cells, including brain cells. This amino acid is often added to energy drinks, the composition of which promises to be better.

But you can feel energetic without artificial stimulants. You just need to eat this healthy, good mood food. And cod grilled or baked in the oven will help you do it.

13. Chocolate

Dark chocolate stimulates the release of endorphins. They act on the pleasure center and keep the body toned. Studies by Finnish scientists have shown that chocolate lovers have happy children. Chocolate can:

  • help women during PMS;
  • replenish the “stock” of magnesium.

This element is responsible for tranquility. Penetylene and anandamide contained in chocolate have antidepressant effects.

14. Green Leafy Vegetable

Greens “from the garden” have many benefits for the body. Some of the most important are:

  • They affect the production of serotonin;
  • They are rich in antioxidants, minerals, and flavonoids.

Spinach and kale are useful because they contain lutein. It is a substance that prevents vision problems due to degenerative changes in the retina. You should think about adding green to a good mood diet. Lutein also helps reduce blood cholesterol levels.

15. Bananas

Its nutritional profile is rich in essential substances for the body. It is a source of:

  • vitamin B4;
  • potassium;
  • tryptophan.

These are very useful amino acids and vitamins. They contribute to the production of the mood hormone serotonin. Banana is insidious, and it contains starch. And consuming too much of it can affect your figure. So eat bananas in the first half of the day and be happy.

And what an incredible smell this berry has. The mere scent of strawberries releases serotonin in the body. And also, your mood improves instantly. We are sure that strawberries are foods to make you happy. There is even a particular strawberry therapy.

You have to consume strawberries for two months. It will saturate your body with valuable vitamins and stimulate nerve impulses. It will help you cope with fatigue and moping.

How Good Mood Food Makes You Happy?

Woman Holding Sliced Orange Fruit

I ate, and I immediately became better. These are not just words but quite a proven scientific fact. While eating, the human brain secretes the so-called “pleasure hormone.” People call it the neurotransmitter dopamine. This is the most logical reason why food makes you happy.

Scientists note that dopamine level rises twice. As soon as the person begins to eat and when the good-mood food has already entered the stomach. In these cases, two different brain parts are responsible for dopamine production.

The first release of dopamine occurs in reward-related areas of the brain. The pleasure hormone is produced in certain brain parts when you eat. They are responsible for higher cognitive functions, which include:

  • Thinking;
  • Memory;
  • Reasoning abilities.

An increase in dopamine levels is a reward for an action. The person feels pleasure and wants to do the action again. Besides healthy, happy food, dopamine rises during sex and sports and after drinking alcohol and drugs. Thus, dopamine is not only about pleasure but also about addiction.

Also, the body produces the neurotransmitter serotonin, also called the happy hormone. It is believed that if a person has enough serotonin, they feel more alert and cheerful. However, larger studies are necessary to confirm this theory. So far, there is evidence that some people with depression may have low serotonin. So doctors prescribe them antidepressants that increase the happy hormone.

Note that the gut, not the brain, produces most serotonin. Besides its possible effect on mood, the happy hormone regulates digestion and sleep. And it is responsible for blood clotting and bone strength.

What Else Can Help Make Me Happier?

Thinking through your good-mood diet can sometimes be quite difficult. That’s why an innovative formula for liquid supplements was developed. If you take them regularly, you can:

  • improve your mood;
  • and you can get away from depression;
  • Improve your health.

Our developed formula penetrates your body incredibly quickly. At the same time, it brings maximum benefits because it quickly penetrates the body. You will notice the first result after the first month of regular use.

Conclusion

Becoming a symbol of happiness, food sometimes substitutes it, but the falsification of joy is easy to detect. Good-mood food and happiness have a lot in common. It’s important to know that real happiness is not in food. But food can provoke an unexpected rush of joy with the help of hormones. Remember that an immune system booster can also help improve the effectiveness of a proper diet.

FAQ

Is avocado good for a good mood diet?

Avocados are the best assistance in the fight against stress. It contains potassium, magnesium, vitamin B, folic acid, and glutathione, an effective antioxidant. Just half an avocado a day, and you’ll have a boost of energy and a good mood.

What drink will make me happier?

Coffee helps the brain recognize positive emotions quickly and effectively when consumed in moderation. It also helps prevent emotional problems by stimulating the production of norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine.

What are the benefits of cheese for my mood?

Cheese contains the amino acids tryptophan and L-phenylalanine, which promote the production of endorphins – the pleasure hormone. In addition, cheese is rich in protein and calcium, so it will make your teeth and bones healthier and improve the function of blood vessels and the nervous system.

How does eating healthy, happy food affect mood?

According to one theory, carbohydrate foods can reduce depression and improve mood because carbohydrate consumption increases serotonin production. In other words, the body rewards itself for eating tasty but often unhealthy foods.

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