Healthy Mood Lifestyle  Mood & Food

'Feel Good' Food Facts

When that chocolate chip cookie calls out your name, or a pile of mashed potatoes beckons, go ahead and help yourself. Those foods just might make you feel good, as long as you remember the moderation rule.

Think about the last time you had a wedge of homemade apple pie, still warm from the oven. For some, a few bites can induce euphoria. There are reasons for that feeling, said Elizabeth Somer, a registered dietitian and author of Food and Mood: The Complete Guide to Eating Well and Feeling Your Best. "Many people ignore the profound effects food can have on mood, intellect, and energy. When you make the right food choices, you're providing fuel for a healthy body, a good mood, an active mind, and a high energy level," Somer said.

Food can get you going in the morning, keep you alert at midday, and lull you to sleep at night. Take, for example, carbohydrates. They're linked to the brain chemical serotonin, which tends to soothe and calm. That may explain why high-carbohydrate foods, such as chicken potpie, mashed potatoes, pudding, and macaroni and cheese, are at the top of the list of comfort foods. A little too much serotonin, however, may make you drowsy.

Carbohydrate Planning

Strategic carbo-eating is key to preventing post-lunch slumps, as well as mid-afternoon munchies, said Judith Wurtman, Ph.D., program director of Triad Weight Management and research scientist at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Carbohydrates in such foods as bananas, bread, milk, turkey and tomatoes elevate serotonin levels, which tend to peak in late morning, and then plummet a few hours later. That's when you rush to your refrigerator or the nearest vending machine.

To keep your mood stable throughout the day, Wurtman advised keeping meals and snacks small while focusing on complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains, starchy vegetables or legumes. For breakfast, have whole grain cereal with low-fat milk (or yogurt) and fresh fruit. Pair multigrain bread with turkey (or chicken) breast and raw veggies for lunch. Serve brown rice (or beans) with broiled fish for dinner.

Still hungry? Select fresh fruit to complete lunch and dinner.

Skip the sugar-laden soft drinks, pastries, or candy bars at midday. Instead, snack on whole-wheat pretzels or sip an unsweetened beverage. Other soothing carbohydrate-rich, between-meals snacks include whole grain crackers, brown-rice cakes, bran cereal or bread. Wurtman's research showed that eating a 1- to 2-ounce slice of bread had a calming effect on most people.

The Energizers

Protein manipulates our moods, too. Tyrosine, an amino acid that is found in protein foods, boosts two brain chemicals, dopamine and norepinephrine. This dynamic duo stimulates the central nervous system, increases energy and improves concentration, alertness and performance. So, when sharpness counts, make protein your food of choice. Select high-protein grilled chicken, fish or beef. You'll reap benefits from a 3- to 4-ounce serving in two or three hours.

Proteins aren't the only movers and shakers. Selenium, essential fatty acids and calcium may also impact mood. People lacking selenium show signs of anxiety, irritability and depression. When a selenium deficiency is corrected, mood improves. Selenium may have a neurological function, but scientists haven't pinpointed how it works in the brain.

An adequate intake of essential fatty acids (EFAs) may prevent depression. People suffering from depression have 40 percent fewer EFAs in their brains than healthy individuals. Two or three 3-ounce servings of fatty fish, such as salmon, herring, or mackerel, each week should be part of your healthy eating plan. Flaxseed and purslane are two good vegetable sources of EFAs.

Other mood researchers believe calcium eases mood swings, depression, irritability and nervousness in women suffering from premenstrual syndrome (PMS). In a study by Dr. Susan Thys-Jacobs at Mt. Sinai Medical Center in New York, 75 percent of women with PMS who took a 1,000-milligram calcium supplement daily for three months reported fewer symptoms.

A Brownie For The Blues

If you think a chocolate chip cookie makes you feel good, a brownie might be even better at battling the blues, said Adam Drewnowski, Ph.D., a food-mood researcher at the University of Washington. "Chocolate is a perfect blend of ingredients that stimulates feel-good endorphins and boosts calming serotonin."

Chocolate also is filled with phenylethylamine, a brain chemical that is released when two people fall in love. Plus, the sweet treat contains theobromine and magnesium, which help increase brain function. The caffeine in chocolate -- about 6 milligrams per ounce -- also may give you a mental boost.

A well-balanced diet -- including vegetables, fruit, whole grains, lean proteins and low-fat dairy products -- eaten regularly throughout the day is probably the best mood regulator of all.

Source: Better Homes & Gardens/Meredith Corporation