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Some foods have mood enhancing properties. Check what they are and incorporate them into your diet

Image: Bảo-Quân Nguyễn in Unsplash

Some foods improve mood. But... "Everything that tastes makes you fat". Who has never heard that phrase (and agreed)?

Foods with sugar and fat give us the feeling of pleasure, but they bring with them a few extra pounds, diabetes, cholesterol... and that's not good. Check out foods that improve mood and health without unwanted effects.

Banana

Rich in magnesium, which reduces anxiety and improves sleep quality; and also tryptophan, which is a precursor to serotonin, the pleasure hormone. Bananas also help to resist sweets, as it is rich in natural sugars, and cigarettes, as its amount of B vitamins, together with magnesium and potassium, help to make up for the lack of nicotine.

Sweet potato

It provides energy with natural sugars, which are more slowly digested, stabilizing blood sugar levels. It's good to eat before exercising.

Chickpea

Rich in tryptophan, magnesium, potassium, healthy carbohydrates and B vitamins (already explained above), in addition to zinc, which helps the body to produce and store insulin and also fight fatigue.

Citrus fruits, papaya, kiwi, strawberry

Foods rich in vitamin C, which helps to inhibit stress hormones, thus improve mood.

dark vegetables

Also rich in magnesium and vitamin C.

carrots and celery

The action of these vegetables on stress is more mechanical: because they are crunchy, chewing them gives a feeling of relief, especially for those who have a habit of grinding their teeth. In addition to serving as mood-enhancing foods, they also help fight bad breath.

Black tea

It has low levels of caffeine, making the brain more active without speeding up the heart. It also has an enzyme called L-theanine, which helps a person relax and focus on tasks. It also reduces stress hormone levels. It has benefits for memory and its regular consumption can prevent Parkinson's disease. This tea is a great start to the day.

Chocolate

Despite the sugar, chocolate has numerous benefits: it contains tyrosine, which stimulates the production of serotonin; triggers the release of dopamine and endorphins, which are responsible for relaxation. In addition to serving as one of the mood-enhancing foods, it is a source of magnesium and, coincidence or not, the countries with the highest consumption of chocolate are home to more Nobel Prize winners.

• Magnesium: what is it for?

Choose chocolates with 70% cocoa content, as they have antioxidant properties.