Mood Foods and How They Affect Your Diet

 We have all done it... what am I talking about?   Eating when we are unhappy or depressed or sad.  We always tend to eat the wrong things at that!  So I am about to reveal some foods that put you in a good mood, and also tell you about the ones to steer clear off.

The body cannot produce tryptophan, this is an amino acid which is converted by the body into serotonin, so unless we get enough through our diets, we may suffer a deficiency, leading to low serotonin levels.
Low serotonin levels are associated with mood disorders, anxiety, cravings and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).  SO eating the following foods will help improve your serotonin levels amongst other things.



Top 10 Good Mood Foods
mung beans
• lobster
• turkey
• asparagus
• sunflower seeds
• cottage cheese
• pineapple
• tofu
• spinach
• bananas
Others include my favourite - dark chocolate, chicken, tuna, nuts and oats.

Foods to avoid when feeling low - 
The following foods tend to make you sluggish and do not really add value nutrient wise.  

• Avoid fatty foods, or fried foods
• Diet Drinks or fizzy drinks
• Fried Foods
• Junk Food
• Artificial sweeteners

A few tips:

1. Eat a diet that includes plenty of raw fruit and vegetables, soybeans (nice snack) and soy products, whole grains, seeds, nuts (seeds and nuts a great snack to carry around with you when you’re peckish), brown rice, a diet that is too low in complex carbs can cause serotonin depletion.
2. If you are feeling nervous and want to relax, eat more complex carbs, for increased alertness protein meals containing essential fatty acids eg: salmon and white fishes; turkey and salmon are high in tryptophan and protein.
3. Avoid diet drinks and artificial sweeteners, aspartame has been claimed to block the formation of serotonin and cause headaches, insomnia and depression.
4. Avoid foods high in saturated fats, meat and fried foods, eg: hamburgers and french fries, they can lead to sluggishness, slow thinking and fatigue.
5. Try and avoid alcohol, caffeine and processed foods.
6. Keep your mind active, try and get some rest and exercise

Hope you have found this information useful, happy eating!


Colette Morris SAC Dipl. (Diet &Nutrition)   
Herbalife Shop - http://healthyweightloss.herbalcoach.com/

Colette Morris is a qualified Nutritionist and Herbalife Independent Distributor so if you want advice on your diet for weight loss, weight gain or sports nutrition, email LondonFitGirlsClub@gmail.com  or simply click on the tab here  to join our program.