Eat for a Better Mood

Can what you eat affect the mood you are in?  Can eating better actually affect whether you get down in the dumps or not?  My sister sent me an interesting article, Eating fruits, vegetables and whole grains slashes depression risk by more than 10%.   Now 10% doesn’t sound much but eating more of certain foods can improve the mood you are in and can help you have more energy throughout the day.  So often we hear that to eat healthy we have to cut things from our diet.  A current fad is cutting gluten from our diet which is not really a healthy thing to do unless you have Celiac disease.   Now many people are on the Whole30 diet that cuts out grains and dairy.  One person on this diet told me how tired they were, too tired to exercise.  No wonder, cut out the grains from your diet and you are cutting out the carbs needed to energize yourself for the day and you are cutting back on the many B vitamins our bodies need to make energy. 

So what does the research show about food and mood?  

Foods to cut back on:  To improve your mood there are some foods to cut back on. No, not gluten.  No, not cutting carbs, at least not all carbs.

Added sugar – the research showed the typical Western diet is loaded with added sugar.  We know sugared sodas are “added sugar” in our diets.  But many people are very confused about “added sugar”.  One student told me there were cutting back on added sugar by cutting back on soda and juice.  Now, cutting back on soda is a good way to cut back on added sugar.  Cutting back on real juice is not a good way to cut back on sugars as 100% juice has no “added sugar”.  If you are drinking Sunny D or  Hi-C, then yes, cut back on these are these fruit drinks are loaded with added sugar.  Reading labels will be easier to detect “added sugar” as the new food labels will clearly indicate sugars and “added sugars”.  

Foods for a Better Mood – so what foods can you eat to improve your mood and cut your chances of being down in the dumps?  
  •  Fresh fruits and vegetables – research has shown that adding fresh fruits and veggies to your day not only improves your mood but gives you more energy and surprise – you will even have clearer thinking.  Fruits and veggies apparently clear the brain fog.  How many fruits and veggies?  Aim for at least 5 A DAY.  Have that glass of 100% juice at breakfast, have a banana for a great pick me up snack.  Enjoy some fresh fruit and baby carrots at lunch.  Have a salad at dinner.  Fast food lunch?  Choose a salad and some apple slices.  Almost every fast food restaurant has some fruit or veggies you can add to your meal.
Enjoy some fresh fruit
  • Whole grains – yes, that oatmeal is a good, mood food.  Find ways to add some whole grains to your day.  If not a General Mills cereals (all are whole grain) then add some whole grain crackers like Triscuits or Wheat Thins.  Eating fast food?  Choose Sun Chips which are whole grain.  We always have chips in our house, but usually whole grain chips.   Rather than “cut the grains” in your day, a healthy 2000 calorie diet would have 6-8 servings of grains every day, with half of these whole grain.  Grains are not only provide carbs for energy but also many of the B vitamins our bodies need to make energy. 
Enjoy some whole grain crackers
  •  Low-fat dairy – the students I teach just completed analyzing their diets.  Almost every student had diets low in calcium, and low in vitamin D.  Why?  They didn’t have cow’s milk or yogurt at meals.  MyPlate shows a dairy serving at every meal and dairy has gone missing from many of our diets.  Have a low-fat yogurt every day for lunch or as a snack at work or at home.  Add milk to your breakfast and dinner.  Choose milk instead of soda at fast food restaurants.  Teach your kids, grandkids to choose milk at fast food restaurants.
  • Nuts – Dr. Oz recommends a handful of nuts a day, a very healthy habit.  So easy to put a handful of nuts in a baggie and take it with you as a healthy snack.  Sprinkle some chopped walnuts on your cereal or salad.  
 If you want to follow a “diet” not for losing weight but to improve your mood, follow the DASH diet.  This diet was designed to help lower blood pressure, but research is now finding it is a “good mood” diet.   As noted in my January blog, the DASH diet is ranked the best diet for overall health.  U.S. News & World Report notes the DASH diet is ranked number one for health because it is a nutritionally complete diet.  Unlike Whole30 or other fad diets, the DASH diet includes fruit, vegetables, whole grains and low—fat dairy.   Here is a quick link to more information on the DASH diet.  It will tell you how many calories to eat and what foods you should be eating for better health. 

Interesting, that my students who have added whole grains like oatmeal, more dairy like yogurt and more fruits and vegetables to their day say they feel better and have more energy.  Adding more fruit can be as simple as adding a glass of 100% juice.  Sorry, lemonade doesn’t count as juice.  Naked juice would be a great choice, a blend of juices and no added sugar. 
Naked Juice - 100% juice and no added sugar
 
So, this week, eat for a better mood.  Try it and see if your mood improves and as an added bonus, you may have more energy during the day.

Sources - Eating fruits, vegetables and whole grains slashes depression risk by more than 10%., DASH diet, blog,  information, Naked juice  Image source: fruit, Wheat Thins , Naked juice 

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