How Does Healthy Food and Diet Improve Your Mood?

Are you frequently tired, grumpy or anxious? Your diet might just be the culprit. Food doesn’t just help keep those hunger pangs at bay and provide our body with sustenance. It contains neurotransmitters which can affect our mood as well. A healthy balanced diet must therefore contain not just nutritional building blocks such as dietary fiber and essential vitamins, but the right balance of neurotransmitters to keep us feeling as great as we look!

What are neurotransmitters?

As the name suggests, neurotransmitters, which are made up of tiny amino acids, transmit signals to the brain. Depending on their chemical composition, different neurotransmitters communicate different signals to our brain, which in turn influence our moods. Here are four neurotransmitters linked to better moods, friendlier dispositions and higher energy levels.^{1, 2}

• Serotonin. It is linked to feelings of happiness and well-being. Researchers have found that sufferers of depression exhibit much lower levels of serotonin than the average, well-adjusted individual.

• Norepinephrine. Having trouble concentrating? You might just need more norepinephrine. This neurotransmission is associated with mental alertness and focus, and can also contribute to higher energy levels.

• Dopamine. This is known as the “pleasure” or “feel good” neurotransmitter. Certain narcotics are addictive precisely because they over-stimulate dopamine release. Dopamine, however, releases naturally and can help sharpen our focus, stimulate creativity and improve memory.

• Epinephrine. This neurotransmitter is linked to feelings of motivation and determination. If you’re in a stressful situation, epinephrine is a weapon you need in your neurotransmitter arsenal, and it can only be obtained through foods.

Eating for a better mood

Now that you understand neurotransmitters, you can use this understanding to your advantage by crafting a mood-boosting diet!

• Tryptophan
  Tryptophan is linked to increased serotonin production, and can be found in many protein sources such as turkey and soybeans. Dairy proteins, in particular, contain plenty of tryptophan. Boost your milk and cheese consumption, and get some extra calcium too!³

• Zinc
  Zinc is required to metabolize essential fatty acids and is also a cornerstone of serotonin production.³ Low levels of zinc are linked to a wide range of mental health ailments including anxiety and depression.⁴ To increase your zinc levels, consume more seeds and nuts like walnuts, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds.

• Less caffeine
  Many of us rely on caffeine to get going in the morning. But while caffeine has been shown to temporarily increase circulation of energy-enhancing norepinephrine, it’s often followed by an energy slump colloquially known as a "caffeine crash". Try to stick to a maximum of two cups of coffee per day, and avoid other caffeine sources like coke and tea if you’re drinking coffee!²

A healthy diet is essential to our health not just physically, but mentally as well. If you’re battling dark moods and low energy levels, try tweaking your diet, and consider speaking to a doctor as well. 

Sources

1. 8 tips for eating well. NHS Choices. Visited 5 September 2013.
2. Food and mood. Mind. Visited 5 September 2013.
3. Influence of supplementary vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids on the antisocial behaviour of young adult prisoners. Gesch CB, Hammond SM, Hampson SE, Eves A and Crowder MJ. British Journal of Psychiatry 2003; 181: 22-28
4. The co-occurrence of zinc deficiency and social isolation has the opposite effects on mood compared with either condition alone due to changes in the central norepinephrine system. Mitsuya H, Omata N, Kiyono Y, Mizuno T, Murata T, Mita K et al. Behavioural Brain Research 2015; 284: 125-30