Mood and Energy Boosting Foods
Feeling low & lacking the energy & motivation to complete your workouts? Try incorporating some of these foods into your diet & see how much better you feel!
1. GREENS How many times have your parents told you to ‘Eat your Greens!’? Well unfortunately they were right!
When it comes to feeling good, there is nothing better. Dark green veggies, such as brocolli, kale and spinach, are a rich source of vitamin C and magnesium.
They are important in changing amino acids into serotonin and dopamine – the neurotransmitters responsible for making us feel joyful. A good dose of greens every day is therefore a must!
2. NUTS AND SEEDSThe power of nuts and seeds can never be underestimated. Flax, chia, hemp, pumpkin seeds and walnuts are great sources of mood-boosting omega-3s (the benefits of which were discussed in last week’s blog). Similarly, cashews have been shown to provide the equivalent effects as a therapeutic dose of Prozac.
One of the highest natural sources of tryptophan, a couple of handfuls of cashews a day can keep the blues at bay. And let’s not forget almonds, which contain zinc (a major nutrient in maintaining a balanced mood), iron (which curtails brain fatigue) and healthy fats (which reduce anxiety).
So eat them on their own or add them to smoothies for a great mood boost!
3. BLUEBERRIESThe benefits of blueberries have reached new heights with it now being listed as a ‘superfood’. Rich in vitamins and a variety of stress-reducing antioxidants, blueberries are the perfect snack to help activate happy messages in the brain.
Blueberries add a great bit of crunch to your morning porridge or as a mid-morning snack.
4. RAW CACAOGreat news, chocolate has made it onto the list of mood boosting foods! However, you should stick to eating dark chocolate if you want to feel the benefits.
Your body harnesses the benefits of cacao – the raw ingredient that gives good chocolate its taste and color. Renowned for promoting well-being, cacao contains the same chemical generated by the brain when falling in love, causing the release of endorphins.
With Valentine’s day on the horizon, why not treat yourself!
5. FOODS HIGH IN VITAMIN BLow levels of B group vitamins have been shown to contribute to low mood. A strong continued source of B vitamins is therefore essential for prolonged happiness.
Such foods rich in B vitamins include legumes, nuts, seeds, brown rice and oats.
6. BANANASBananas are a fantastic way of boosting your energy levels, both before & after a workout. Full of energy, vitamin B, iron, magnesium and potassium, plus being a natural probiotic, high in fiber, and a regulator of blood sugar, bananas are the bomb! In fact, eating one banana as a mid-morning snack will fuel the body with enough magnesium (a stress-reducer) for the entire day!
7. FOODS HIGH IN VITAMIN DBoosting vitamin D can improve mood by enhancing the production of the happy hormone, serotonin. Synthesized by the body in response to sunlight, vitamin D can be found in foods such as oily fish, coconut milk, almond milk and mushrooms. It can be worth taking a high quality vitamin D3 supplement throughout winter.
8. COMPLEX CARBS Complex carbohydrates such as chickpeas, lentils, nuts, oats, brown rice, potatoes, sweet corn, wholegrain cereals, bananas and starchy vegetables have been shown to encourage the production of serotonin, and promote leveled well-being (unlike simple carbohydrates which are known to induce mood swings).
1. GREENS How many times have your parents told you to ‘Eat your Greens!’? Well unfortunately they were right!
When it comes to feeling good, there is nothing better. Dark green veggies, such as brocolli, kale and spinach, are a rich source of vitamin C and magnesium.
They are important in changing amino acids into serotonin and dopamine – the neurotransmitters responsible for making us feel joyful. A good dose of greens every day is therefore a must!
2. NUTS AND SEEDSThe power of nuts and seeds can never be underestimated. Flax, chia, hemp, pumpkin seeds and walnuts are great sources of mood-boosting omega-3s (the benefits of which were discussed in last week’s blog). Similarly, cashews have been shown to provide the equivalent effects as a therapeutic dose of Prozac.
One of the highest natural sources of tryptophan, a couple of handfuls of cashews a day can keep the blues at bay. And let’s not forget almonds, which contain zinc (a major nutrient in maintaining a balanced mood), iron (which curtails brain fatigue) and healthy fats (which reduce anxiety).
So eat them on their own or add them to smoothies for a great mood boost!
3. BLUEBERRIESThe benefits of blueberries have reached new heights with it now being listed as a ‘superfood’. Rich in vitamins and a variety of stress-reducing antioxidants, blueberries are the perfect snack to help activate happy messages in the brain.
Blueberries add a great bit of crunch to your morning porridge or as a mid-morning snack.
4. RAW CACAOGreat news, chocolate has made it onto the list of mood boosting foods! However, you should stick to eating dark chocolate if you want to feel the benefits.
Your body harnesses the benefits of cacao – the raw ingredient that gives good chocolate its taste and color. Renowned for promoting well-being, cacao contains the same chemical generated by the brain when falling in love, causing the release of endorphins.
With Valentine’s day on the horizon, why not treat yourself!
5. FOODS HIGH IN VITAMIN BLow levels of B group vitamins have been shown to contribute to low mood. A strong continued source of B vitamins is therefore essential for prolonged happiness.
Such foods rich in B vitamins include legumes, nuts, seeds, brown rice and oats.
6. BANANASBananas are a fantastic way of boosting your energy levels, both before & after a workout. Full of energy, vitamin B, iron, magnesium and potassium, plus being a natural probiotic, high in fiber, and a regulator of blood sugar, bananas are the bomb! In fact, eating one banana as a mid-morning snack will fuel the body with enough magnesium (a stress-reducer) for the entire day!
7. FOODS HIGH IN VITAMIN DBoosting vitamin D can improve mood by enhancing the production of the happy hormone, serotonin. Synthesized by the body in response to sunlight, vitamin D can be found in foods such as oily fish, coconut milk, almond milk and mushrooms. It can be worth taking a high quality vitamin D3 supplement throughout winter.
8. COMPLEX CARBS Complex carbohydrates such as chickpeas, lentils, nuts, oats, brown rice, potatoes, sweet corn, wholegrain cereals, bananas and starchy vegetables have been shown to encourage the production of serotonin, and promote leveled well-being (unlike simple carbohydrates which are known to induce mood swings).
