Snack on these superfoods to boost your mood

Once upon a time, food was the answer to smear all blues. The great Greek physician Hippocrates had guaranteed food to be as good as medicines. Even today, when a girl breaks up with her boyfriend, she turns to an ice-cream.

When life is being hard on you, you can easily snack away the blues with the help of some superfoods. Certain foods can pump up your mood, energy, and brainpower effectively. Sshhh! Your favourite chocolate too is in the list of foods that have the power to boost your mood.

Walnuts

The perfect example of good-mood food is walnut. The humble nuts offer the awesome combined properties of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B6, and tryptophan- perfect for boosting mood.
Deficiency of folate (vitamin B9) has been linked to depression. Walnuts are a good source of the vitamin which not only helps boost your happiness, they also help to ease anger.

Coffee

Research has shown coffee to be a mood booster for women. Findings published in Archives of Internal Medicine revealed that women who drink two or more cups of caffeinated coffee a day are less likely to get depressed.

Those who consumed two to three cups per day had a 15 per cent lower risk of developing depression, while for those who drank four or more cups a day their risk was reduced by 20%.

Banana

Remember tryptophan from walnuts? Banana has it too, becoming a superfood to enhance your mood, aid relaxation, and boost your confidence. Bananas are rich in magnesium also- to help you relax, and vitamin B6- to help relieve depression.
Bananas contain generous amounts of carbohydrates, which stimulate the production of serotonin, helping you to feel happier.

Yogurt

Amino acid tryptophan again is present in yogurt- helping to boost levels of the ‘happy hormone’ in the brain- serotonin. Researchers from Toronto University also found that the probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus casei found in some yogurts can decrease anxiety, helping to put you in a calmer frame of mind.

Brazil nuts

Nut the woes of your lives away! Does that even makes sense? Yes, it does. After the magical walnuts, another good nut to add into your diet is the Brazil.
Researches suggest that just one Brazil nut a day is enough for the recommended daily intake. These nuts are rich source of the mineral selenium- deficiency of which can lead to depression, irritability, and anxiety. Snacking on Brazil nuts can be the perfect healthy way to lift your mood.

Chocolate

Your favourite thing is here. Chocolates are well-known mood boosters- their happiness-promoting properties beating the heavenly taste.
Relaxing magnesium, calming anandamide and pleasure-inducing phenylethylamine- chocolates have all such depression-lifting chemicals. Findings published in the scientific journal Nutritional Neuroscience have suggested that the food can even help to reduce the symptoms of depression.

Avocado

Indian cooking has always underestimated this kitchen marvel. But if you are feeling sad or fearful, avocados could put you in a better mood. They contain high quantities of folate, the deficiency of which causes irrational fears and anxiety- according to researches.
Avocados are also rich in omega-3, which is also good for the mood and brain health.

Oily fish

Omega-3 fatty acids come to action again. They are great for your skin, heart and eye health, and are found in abundance in oily fish. A study by researchers from the University Of Pittsburgh School Of Medicine found that participants who had lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their blood were more likely to be moderately depressed and have a negative outlook.
Life can be challenging and intense at times when some of us are under stress and suffering a bit of the blues-at these times understanding this amazing food and mood relationship can help us pump the energy back into life.

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