Best healthy foods to boost your mood

Can eating certain foods really have an impact on our mood? We take a look at the evidence and find five healthy foods that could lift your mood...

We’ve all had cravings for fatty foods when we’re feeling low, and science now tells us it’s no coincidence.

Top five mood-boosting foods: Dark chocolate

Researchers at the University of Leuven in Belgium found that when we eat fat, it has a mood-enhancing effect on the brain.

This explains why fatty foods like ice cream and chocolate fudge cake are so tempting when we’re feeling low, but these unhealthy foods can also give us a temporary sugar rush, leading to an energy crash later on. 

The good news is that there are plenty of healthy foods that can also boost our moods. Check these out...

Nuts
Top five mood-boosting foods: NutsJust 2-3 brazil nuts a day give us our recommended daily dose of the mineral selenium, low levels of which are thought to contribute to symptoms of depression. 

Oats are also rich in selenium, so why not combine the two for a nutritious, nutty porridge or granola to start the day? Also, a hormone that’s known to regulate sleep, called melatonin, can be found in walnuts. And we all know how much better we feel after a good night’s kip. 

Dark Chocolate
Put away that pale, sugary bar of milk chocolate - we’re talking dark chocolate here, and the less sugar that’s added to it, the better. German scientists found that when subjects ate either a bar of chocolate or an apple, their mood was elevated. 

But chocolate caused stronger responses, some even reporting a state of joy. This could be down to the endorphins; feel-good chemicals released after we eat chocolate and also during physical exercise, sex and meditation. And just a small square of dark chocolate will do - it doesn’t have to be packed with sugar and drenched with caramel - or you’ll end up feeling worse later on.  

[Related: Delicious recipe ideas under 200 calories]

Fruit and Vegetables
Top five mood-boosting foods: Fruit and vegA US study published in January this year found that people who ate at least three portions of fruits and vegetables each day were more optimistic than those who didn’t. They think it’s down to the carotenoids - the antioxidants found in vegetables including carrots, sweet potatoes, greens, tomatoes and peppers. 

Subjects who reported feeling more optimistic about life had as much as 13 per cent more carotenoids in their bloodstream than the group with lower optimism. Another study, published this year by the University of Otago in New Zealand asked subjects to keep a food diary. They found those with a diet high in fruit and veg generally felt calmer, happier and had more energy. 

Eggs
Eggs have received some bad press over the years for being high in dietary cholesterol, but more recently they’ve been heralded as a superfood. They’re high in vitamin D, which is thought to have an impact on mood and the symptoms of depression. 

They also contain vitamin B6, which helps the body create serotonin, also important for regulating the emotions. Eggs are also a good source of choline, essential for healthy brain function. That boiled egg and soldiers for breakfast looks more tempting now, doesn’t it?

Oily Fish
Top five mood-boosting foods: Oily fishA study led by JR Hibbeln in 1998 tracked the incidence of depression along with the consumption rates of fish in nine countries. He found that generally, those living in countries where lots of fish are eaten (such as Japan, Korea and Taiwan) had lower rates of major depression. 

However he did say that social and economic factors could affect the results too, and it might not all be just down to the fish. But a later study, conducted by the University of PIttsburgh School of Medicine in 2006 found that people with higher levels of omega-3 acids in their blood were less likely to report feeling down, depressed or have a gloomy outlook on life. 

Oily fish include sardines, anchovies, salmon, trout and mackerel, although omega-3 fats can also be found in sunflower seeds, some cereals and dairy items.