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Ten foods to suit your mood
25-12-2011
Whether you want to enhance a good mood or fend off a bad one, choosing
your food carefully can help. To find a food to suit every mood, check
out these 10 emotions and their accompanying snacks.
Sadness
If you’re feeling in need of a happiness boost, try upping your intake
of oily fish to boost your brain health and mood. Oily fish is not only
rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, which can help ward off depression,
negativity and mood swings, but wild salmon and tuna are good sources of
vitamin B12, which helps to regulate the mood.
Fear
Many people suffer from phobias, ranging from the common (like
acrophobia – fear of heights) to the obscure (like arachibutyrophobia).
However, it may be that your diet is to blame. Research suggests that
folate deficiency may be behind irrational fears and anxiety, so try
upping your intake of folate – as well as mood-boosting Omega-3 – by
snacking on avocado.
Anger
Next time you feel a rage coming on, try reaching for some nuts and
seeds to help calm you down. Research has shown that Omega-3 deficiency
can contribute to aggressive behaviour of adult offenders and children
with severe behavioural difficulties, while a Japanese study has
suggested that zinc may ease anger in women. To up your intake of these
nutrients, try opting for walnuts and flaxseeds, which contain both zinc
and Omega-3 fatty acids.
Love
Got a big date coming up and want to get in the mood? Try some foods
rich in zinc to stimulate the libido and enhance desire. While oysters
are a famous aphrodisiac due to their high quantities of zinc, if you’re
not a fan of the slimy mollusc, try opting for shellfish, pine nuts or
pumpkin seeds instead.
Shyness
We all need a confidence boost from time to time, and luckily you can
get a helping hand from your diet to relieve shyness. Researchers at
McGill University in Montreal found that foods containing tryptophan (an
essential amino acid) make people feel more confident. Good sources of
tryptophan include meat (particularly chicken), fish such as salmon and
tuna, and legumes.
Heartbreak
Many people find themselves reaching for chocolate in the face of
heartbreak, and this may be no bad thing. Chocolate contains many
chemicals to beat the breakup blues, including relaxing magnesium,
calming anandamide and mood-boosting phenylethylamine. Try snacking on
dark chocolate (in moderation!) for the most health benefits.
Anxiety
If you’ve got a big interview or presentation coming up, try replacing
your morning coffee (which can make you jittery) with a calming herbal
tea. The calming effects of chamomile are so powerful that they have
been found to reduce symptoms of mild to moderate generalised anxiety
disorder, so try a cup of chamomile tea to help calm those last-minute
nerves.
Stress
Whether you’re feeling overwhelmed by a busy day or are finding it
difficult to wind down after work, try snacking on some blueberries to
help cope with stress. Blueberries are high in vitamin C, which can help
the body deal with high levels of stress. Also, the superfruit is packed
with antioxidants which help to protect your body from its effects.
“Brain fog”
If you’re feeling confused, unfocused, forgetful, or like your mind is
just running slow, give your brain a boost with a cup of green tea. As
around 80 per cent of the brain is made up of water, drinking any fluids
will help keep it hydrated and functioning at optimum levels. However,
green tea also helps maintain alertness by regulating blood sugar
levels, and helps protect the brain and cut risk of dementia.
Lethargy
Whether you’re suffering from a lack of sleep or are generally feeling
lethargic, drinking beetroot juice could help revive your energy levels.
Beetroot has a high sugar content and many energising nutrients such as
magnesium and vitamin C. Furthermore, researchers at the University of
Exeter found that drinking beetroot juice could enable people to
exercise for up to 16 per cent longer.
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