It is not uncommon for everyone to have certain days where things do not go the way they are planned. This causes us to have a bad mood. When in bad mood the brain stops to function normally and we feel as if there is no way to get out of this situation. This in turn affects the way we perform at work or at school. The focus is just not there[3].
Even at home, we tend to get angry on family members that may not go down too well with them and children. The question arises as to what is it that causes us to have a bad mood at one point or the other. This bad mood then results in us doing activities or act in way that we may not do normally and feel guilty later when the mood gets better[3].
This can be explained by the food that we eat and what we drink during the day. There are certain questions that tend to have a link towards having a bad mood. These questions are whether we have been eating regularly and on time or not, are we drinking enough water, are we into too much of caffeine or not[3]. The answers to these questions can help determine whether we tend to have frequent days where we have a bad mood or not. Thus working on your food habits is the perhaps the best way to lighten up your mood and keep it that way. This article gives an overview of what foods should you take if you have a bad mood[3].
6 Foods to Improve Bad Mood
Below mentioned are 6 best foods to take when you are suffering from a bad mood.
- Bananas for Better Mood and Sleep: Banana contains tryptophan, which is a form of amino acid along with vitamins A, C, and B6 (4). Banana is also extremely rich in fibers and potassium.(5) The carbohydrates present in banana helps in absorption of the tryptophan in the brain and the B6 vitamin in banana converts the tryptophan into serotonin, which lifts the mood of a person. Banana not only helps with the mood, but also helps in sleeping(6). Tryptophan as a medicine is also used to treat various mental disorders like depression and anxiety[1].
- Stimulate Your Mood with Oats: Oats is an extremely nutritious food and provides all the necessary nutrients required by the body(7). Oats is also an excellent mood stimulator, as it has a very low glycemic index(8). Oats very slowly releases energy into the blood, which keeps the mood up all through the day. Selenium is also an important ingredient present in oats, which boosts up the mood of an individual[2].
- Lentils Helps In Keeping Your Calm: Similar to bananas, lentils also help in boosting the mood by increasing the production of serotonin in the brain. This makes the individual more calm and gets rid of any anxiety or depression. Lentils also have folate in abundance and folate deficiencies have been linked to depression.(9) Thus, lentils are a good addition to the diet of people who have a problem with bad mood[1].
- Spinach Effectively Fights Bad Mood: Vitamin B deficiencies also have been known to be linked with depression(9). This is because lack of vitamin B causes depravation in the levels of serotonin, which causes negative thoughts to creep in. Spinach is rich in vitamin B and eating this increases the level of serotonin in the brain resulting in good mood throughout the day [1].
- Yogurt for Better Stress Control: Yogurt is yet another food, which is rich in proteins and vitamin B12(10). Both of these nutrients are essential for a good mood as they bump up the levels of serotonin in the brain. Yogurt also boosts the immune system of the body and improves the ability of the body to cope up with stress. If an individual is able to handle stress well, then the chances of him having a bad mood are quite less[1].
- Eat Fish for Better Mood: For non-vegetarians, fish is a type of food which is perhaps best for improving mood of an individual. Fish has abundance of Omega-3 and fatty acids along with vitamin B12, which is essential for serotonin production in the brain and helping an individual have a good mood[1].
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24134856
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4325078/
- https://www.netdoctor.co.uk/healthy-eating/a25845/11-mood-boosting-foods/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2908021/
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/271157.php
- https://www.nectarsleep.com/posts/banana-before-bed/
- https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/oats/
- https://www.onegreenplanet.org/natural-health/foods-that-may-benefit-your-brain-better-than-antidepressants/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2738337/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28096139
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