Foods High in Serotonin & Impact on Moody Teenagers

Hormonal imbalances are a key part of the change in personality and moods in your teenager. For many teens, a diet that is high in serotonin will often improve mood and personality, even when hormones are raging out of control. If you have a teen in the home that is difficult to manage, it may be prudent to consider foods high in serotonin as you plan your family meals.

Serotonin is the natural occurring hormone that is commonly referred to as the "feel good" hormone. When serotonin levels are too low, many teens often suffer from depression, mood swings, and make impulsive decisions without first thinking through the consequences. While diet, alone, can not remedy all of these issues in a teenage, a healthy diet that is high in serotonin may play a supportive role in therapy and medication usage.

Creating family meals that use foods high in serotonin is actually quite easy. Tuna and salmon are essential staples to the high-serotonin food family and have key fish oils that help the body product more serotonin. By creating meals around these fish types, you'll find that your teen will not only eat healthier but also boost serotonin at the same time.

Snacks that include dark chocolate, bananas, and cherries are essential to the high-serotonin diet and, even by looking at this list, you could come up with a variety of desserts as well. Keep in mind that the key is to find the right balance and moderation but, ultimately, you could have a banana split every night with these components and get a good dose of serotonin.

Eating free range beef and turkey is always suggested when trying to eat healthier and when attempting to eat foods that are high in serotonin. Couple these with beans and whole grain rice and you'll be on your way to finding a more healthy eating plan that will boost the health of your teen and improve your teen's mood and personality. Even teens that have issues with school phobia will benefit from this type of healthy eating as serotonin is boosted and they begin to feel better about themselves and their school surroundings.

Sources: The Brain Diet, by Alan Logan