Let’s discover 5 foods that will improve your mood

Did you know that the lack of omega 3 fatty acid can cause mood swings? Our body does not produce them alone and their lack can lead to depressive states.

The food you eat does not only determine your look, but it also affects your thoughts, emotions and actions.

Many of the foods you eat can disrupt your nervous system, causing bad mood, fatigue, anxiety and depression.

So if you have noticed that you are always in a bad mood or if you feel upset, try the following foods that can improve your mood.

Cocoa or dark chocolate

A food that improve the mood is cocoa. This stimulates happiness, thanks to its theobromine content. This stimulant is helpful, as:

• It increases the levels of serotonin and dopamine in the body.
• It relaxes the nervous system.
• It reduces states of anxiety and depression.

Cocoa also contains tryptophan, a chemical substance that promotes the release of serotonin. For all its benefits, we recommend eating a piece of dark chocolate every day, to improve the states of depression and anxiety.
The only thing you need to watch out for is that the chocolate you choose has a high cocoa content. This should be over 65%.

Walnuts

Another food that improve the mood are walnuts. They supply the body with omega 3 fatty acids, which it does not produce independently. When your body does not have enough omega 3, it usually goes into depressive states. Walnuts also contain tryptophan, of which we have previously spoken.

It is advisable to consume 5 walnuts a day to maintain a more stable mood. Remember that you can add them to your smoothies, desserts or simply eat them as a snack.

Bananas

Bananas are another food that improves mood and that you should include in your daily diet, or if not every day, at least twice a week. Their benefits on emotions are due to the high content of vitamin B6. This intervenes in the process of transforming the protein compounds of serotonin.

Moreover, containing folic acid, vitamin C and vegetable fiber, bananas improve the immune defenses.

Sesame seeds

These seeds are among the foods that improve mood because they provide threonine, that is an essential amino acid that the body can not produce and synthesize by itself. When low levels of threonine occur, chronic sadness is experienced.

To get this nutrient, we recommend that you include a teaspoon of sesame seeds in your salads or include sesame oil in your dishes.

Salmon and other fishes

Other foods that improve mood, because they are rich in omega 3 fatty acids, are salmon, tuna and sardines. These foods directly influence the movement efficiency of some neurotransmitters whose deficiency can cause depressive states.

It is advisable to include at least one portion of these fishes in your weekly diet. If you can, include them three times a week, accompanied by vegetables.

Make sure that the fish you buy is of good quality and free from contaminants. This is especially important with salmon, as some farmed specimens are fed with chemicals that could affect your mood. If you choose to consume tuna, try choosing natural slices. Although it is very economical to consume canned tuna, it contains high levels of salt and chemicals.