Mood Altering Foods

Eating the right kinds of foods not only helps you lose weight, but also improves your moods. Besides putting a smile on your face because the scale goes down, there are also biological reasons why the right foods make you feel better, both physically and emotionally.

Nutrients in foods are precursors to neurotransmitters and the more precursors present in the food you eat, the more or less of a certain neurotransmitter is produced. However, because foods are composed of more than one nutrient, it's how these various nutrients interact that also has an affect on your emotional condition.

Foods to Avoid When Stressed

How many commercials have you seen where someone who's stressed out suddenly becomes calm after one bite of a piece of chocolate? When stressed, you've probably been told that carbohydrates help. However, be sure it's not a bad carbohydrate, as that favorite candy bar that's calling your name. Select good carbs rather than bad ones.

Good carbs such as whole grain breads, grains, and pasta, as well as rice, cereal, and fruit trigger the release of insulin, which clears amino acids out of the brain, except for tryptophan, which is converted to serotonin when it enters the brain. Known for reducing pain, as well as lessening anxiety, serotonin also decreases appetite (unlike bad carbs.) However, don't forget that too much serotonin can also make you sleepy.

Good Foods for Fatigue

You've also probably heard it's good to load up on carbs if you need a burst of energy, such as running in a race. Actually, you need to choose more protein when tired. Foods high in protein include fish, poultry, meat, and eggs. Other foods, which are good sources of protein, are legumes, cheese, and milk. As protein foods are broken down during digestion, they become amino acid building blocks, including tyrosine, which increases the production of neurotransmitters such as dopamine, which, in turn, increases energy and mental alertness.

On the other hand, be sure to avoid simple carbohydrates such as foods made with white flour (breads, pasta, and rice), as well as carbs high in sugar, which leads to fatigue.

Foods to Avoid When Depressed

Studies have shown that depressed people have fewer essential fatty acids (EFAs) in their brain than people not depressed. Therefore, you need more foods rich in EFAs when battling the blues. Select foods such as fatty fish (herring and mackerel). Flaxseed is also a good choice. Carbohydrates found in foods such as turkey, whole wheat bread, brown rice, as well as fruits and vegetables as tomatoes, and bananas actually raise serotonin levels.

Foods to avoid when depressed include refined and simple sugars (including honey, fructose, and maple syrup) which rob your body of B vitamins, while increasing hypoglycemia (which is tied to depression and mood swings.) Also avoid foods rich in saturated fats (causing poor circulation to the brain), as well as heavily processed foods with additives and preservatives, which also slow down the production of neurotransmitters.

In conclusion, remember that when stressed, depressed, or just plain tired, too often we reach for food. However, emotional eating only causes more stress. If you're full and really don't need more than you've already eaten, then pull away from the table and lock up your refrigerator and cupboards. Instead of turning to food, choose other options such as calling a friend, writing out your feelings in a journal, or exercising. Besides letting off steam, exercise will jump-start your endorphins and is much better for you than either emotional eating or eating the wrong foods.

Originally published on Suite 101.