January is well known for those dreaded January blues. It’s a time when everyone feels under pressure to eat healthily and exercise more. Well, we have news for you on the eating front, as there are some foods that can actually help you lift your mood! If you needed an excuse to eat in January, we have found you one!
The burning question is: which foods will help lift my mood?
Dark chocolate
Finally, an excuse to eat more chocolate! OK, so it’s dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate, but we can live with that! Dark chocolate is full of antioxidants, which boost serotonin, the brain chemical that makes you feel good.
The downside is that you shouldn’t eat too much. Apparently, you only need a few squares!
Omega 3
Omega 3 is found in fatty fish, and it has many good effects. Salmon is a tasty fish that is high in protein, vitamin B12, and vitamin D. It is also a good source of omega-3. We are sitting here dreaming of a healthy salmon-based Chinese stir-fry with broccoli!
It’s news to our ears, but depression can be caused by not getting enough vitamin D.
Bananas
Bananas are a healthy and tasty snack. They also have a lot of vitamin B6 and serotonin, which is a neurotransmitter that helps keep your mood stable. They are also full of micronutrients, like potassium, which helps the heart work well and keep the right amount of fluid in the body.
Bananas are an easy food to grab when you are a busy parent, but watch out—you may have to share them with your toddler!
Berries
Berries make the brain make more of the happy chemical serotonin. Blueberries are especially good because they are anti-inflammatory, full of antioxidants and phytoflavonoids, and high in potassium and vitamin C.
We love a good smoothie, and blueberries and bananas (see above) allow you to tick two boxes on our list!
Leafy greens
Folate and magnesium are found in large amounts in leafy greens like spinach, kale, and watercress. Folate and magnesium help lift your mood and calm your nerves. They also have vitamins and minerals in them.
Ok, we admit that this perhaps isn’t the first food you would go for, but it looks like the benefits are great—you could even add them to your salmon stir fry!
Lentils
Lentils are full of tryptophan, which the body uses to make serotonin, a chemical that makes you feel good. They have iron, vitamin B1, and a lot of fibre, folate, and potassium, all of which are good for the heart and for keeping blood pressure and cholesterol in check.
Lentils conjure up feelings of my childhood and hideous lentil “mush.” However, why not add them to a bolognaise to pad it out a little (plus the kids will never know) or make a tasty dahl?
Fermented foods
Fermented foods help keep the bacteria in your gut in balance and make chemicals that make you feel good, such as serotonin. Immunity and digestion are also improved by a healthy gut.
Probiotic yogurt is perhaps the easiest thing to grab here!
Sweet Potatoes
Vitamin B6 is abundant in sweet potatoes. This vitamin helps serotonin work better. They also have a lot of vitamin C, other B vitamins, and fibre.
We love sweet potato fries, and you can make them healthy using an air fryer, of course.
Avocado
This fruit is not only very tasty, but it is also full of healthy fats, fibres, and chemicals called phytochemicals that boost the immune system and reduce inflammation.
Again, you could add this to your smoothie if you don’t like the taste of it on its own.
Coffee
A few cups of coffee every day can make you feel better. The caffeine makes you less tired mentally, helps you focus, and wakes you up.
Finally, an excuse to drink coffee and not feel guilty!
Eggs
Eggs are a great source of protein, vitamin D, and vitamin B12. They are full of things that help with anxiety, like amino acids, omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, and magnesium. They are also high in choline, a nutrient that aids in the production of neurotransmitters and improves mood.
Omelette, poached eggs, frittata—there are so many things you can do with eggs, and for most, these are store cupboard essentials!
We collaborated with MuscleFood.com‘s nutrition experts, Goal Getters, to create this list of foods that will help improve your mood.
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