When it comes to your mood, you might feel helpless sometimes in how you can make yourself feel better when you’re down. We all get those times when it’s impossible to get out of the dumps, but it’s super important for you to take the steps to be happier and get that mood up. The good news for you is that there are plenty of foods that you can implement in your diet to get your mood up and start feeling better. Keep reading down below, where we’re going to go through some of the top foods that you should eat to feel happier.
1. Salmon
The first food that we’re going to talk about is one that you’ve probably heard a lot about in terms of health benefits. Salmon comes packed with Vitamin D, omega-3 fatty oils, and even come with serotonin that help to make you feel super happy and light. All of these vitamins are not only important for your brain’s health, but they will take away all of those sad feelings that you’re having. You can either have salmon in the morning with the rest of your breakfast or grill it at dinner to be served alongside some other veggies.
2. Yogurt
If you are a woman who is experiencing PMS, then you can often get over these mood spikes by adding some yogurt into your diet. It’s been shown that a cup of yogurt can do wonders for your mood. You can either have yogurt during breakfast, topped off with some granola and fruits, or you can have it for a bit of an afternoon snack when you’re feeling down.
3. Walnuts
Walnuts are another fantastic food that are pretty easy to add into your diet. You can easily top off that yogurt with some walnuts or just have a handful throughout the day to get a boost in your mood. This happens because walnuts are full of antioxidants and serotonin, which are both needed to make you feel better. Walnuts also can help to regulate your blood sugar levels, which are an important part of regulating how your mood is. You can even add walnuts to the salads that you have for dinner for a quick pick-me-up!
4. Popcorn
Did you know that the carbs that you get from eating popcorn can make your serotonin levels go through the roof! That’s right! That salty little snack that you eat during movies can actually really help lighten your mood. Not to overlook the fact that popcorn is good for your heart too! Try not to add too much butter and salt the popcorn though because this is only going to make it even more unhealthy. You can even drizzle some dark chocolate over the popcorn if you want some extra sweetness and health.
5. Bananas
One of the best foods that you can eat for a boost in your mood is bananas. That’s because they are full of potassium, which give your body a boost in energy that helps push you through the day. Plus, they’re super easy for you to add into your diet! You can either have one on the way to work in the morning or have one right after the gym to continue that endorphin high. You can give your peanut-butter-and-jam sandwich a twist by using slices of your favorite coffee cake, instead of bread, and adding banana in the middle. Nothing in the world can make you feel better than a bite of it!
6. Dark Chocolate
If you are thinking that you can’t add chocolate into your diet for fears that it’s not healthy for you, then think again! You definitely should stay away from milk chocolate or white chocolate, but when you add dark chocolate to your diet, you are going to get a serious boost in the mood department. That’s because dark chocolate is full of vitamins and minerals that are great for your happiness levels. It’s even been shown that dark chocolate might be a great treatment for cases of anxiety and depression!
7. Oysters
You should think about eating some oysters anytime that you are feeling down. That’s because oysters come full of zinc and other minerals that give your body the boost it needs to keep your mood up. It’s been shown that when your body is under stress, this will lead to a depletion in your zinc levels, which furthermore leads to mood swings. If this is the case, then get a boost in your zinc by adding some oysters to your diet!
8. Brazilian Nuts
If you don’t like walnuts so much, then you can get the same benefits from eating Brazilian nuts. These little nuts come with so many vitamins and minerals that help out with your overall health and mood. Plus, just like walnuts, there are plenty of ways that you can get them into your diet! Just pop a handful into your mouth every now and then for a snack or you can add them to your salad at dinner or lunch time.
9. Spinach
If you’ve heard about the medical benefits of eating spinach, then you should definitely listen to whoever you’re talking to! Spinach is full of iron and protein that gives your body the energy it needs to get through the day. When you add spinach to your diet, you are automatically going to be feeling better and stronger – no wonder that Popeye used to eat so much spinach! Plus, there are an absolute abundance of ways that you can eat more spinach. For example, you can add them to your scrambled eggs in the morning or you can create a salad for dinner that uses spinach, rather than lettuce.
10. Turkey
If you don’t know about how great turkey makes you feel, then go and make a turkey sandwich right now! Whenever there are Christmas and Thanksgiving gatherings, then you can be sure that turkey is going to be on the menu. That’s because turkey comes packed with serotonin and you’re going to feeling super sleepy after you have a serving of high-quality turkey. If you are wanting to get a good night’s sleep and get some more protein in your diet, then turkey is the way to go.
And there you have it, folks! All of these foods are going to do absolute wonders for your body and your mood. Try them out for dinner and see what recipes you can come up with.
