Food affects emotions?
“It has been discovered that some foods influence the brain’s behavior, and the brain’s neurotransmitters, which regulate our behavior, can be affected by what we eat. Research is showing that some foods such as bananas and turkey have proteins that help to create the chemical serotonin. So, diet may contribute to depression, especially poor eating habits and constant snacking on junk foods.”-Bill Moyers with Barry Lopez
I found this quote very interesting because eating healthy seems so simple when you add your own happiness into the mix. There are many reasons people continue to eat unhealthily but perhaps some of those people are not aware of what a tremendous impact food has on your brain, in addition to just your body. A lack of healthy food in your diet will mean that your brain is low on serotonin and thus you will be unhappy. This seems like a simple enough reason to change your diet if you are skeptical about what eating unhealthy is doing just to your body.
Since breakfast is of course the most important meal of the day, I have researched and made the following recipe. Starting out the day with a meal containing fresh fruit, a little bit of sugar (the honey) wheat germ, and orange juice (which contains vitamin C) can make a huge difference in the rest of your day. I know that when I skip breakfast, or eat something like potato chips for breakfast, I'm left feeling grumpy and empty for the first half of my day.
Citrus Berry Smoothie:
makes: one smoothie, about 2 cups
takes: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 1/4 cups fresh berries
- 3/4 cup low-fat plain yogurt
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 2 tablespoons nonfat dry milk
- 1 tablespoon toasted wheat germ
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preparation:
Place berries, yogurt, orange juice, dry milk, wheat germ, honey and vanilla in a blender and blend until smooth.
Nutrition:
- Per serving: 432 calories; 3 g fat ( 2 g sat , 0 g mono ); 15 mg cholesterol; 77 g carbohydrates; 20 g protein; 7 g fiber; 250 mg sodium; 617 mg potassium
- Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (175% daily value), Calcium (63% dv), Potassium (18% dv), Magnesium (16% dv)
If you'd like more information about how food affects your mood, feel free to watch this informative BBC video. If you are still interested, the video has a part two and a part three.
sources: eatingwell.com,youtube.com
I like this idea for a blog and personally agree that healthy food does make me feel better in general. I would like to know your opinion on the implications of this concept. In light of your research, do you think that radical changes in diet to a healthier, more balanced diet full of proper nutrients could possibly replace some of the medicinal treatments that we have for depression today, namely antidepressants, which are proven to have adverse side effects on the body and sometimes lead to accidental overdose? Do you think that in the future these could be replaced with healthy diet altogether?
ReplyDeleteChip,
DeleteI am well aware of the adverse side affects of antidepressants, and the possibility of getting "hooked" on them and needing them more than before the dosage was started. I think your question is difficult because eating healthy food that increases your serotonin levels could be a step to ultimate happiness but is only one small part of an overall healthy lifestyle. Another contributing factor to serotonin levels in the brain includes exercise (runner's high). Despite all the healthy choices one can make to increase their serotonin and overall happiness, I believe some people may still need to be medicated. I do not doubt though that a select few could wean themselves off of medication and "medicate" themselves solely with a healthy lifestyle.
Brooke,
ReplyDeleteI try eating healthy and yes I seem to be happier by eating healthy but not as happy as I would like to be. other than eating healthy what else can I do to make my life happier?
Carlos,
DeleteI'm not really your shrink so I'm not sure how to answer this. I would suggest exercising daily as this increases your serotonin levels in your brain as well. Also, getting enough sleep is very important. If you are eating healthy, exercising, getting a sufficient amount of sleep, and cutting down on the factors that cause you stress, I can guarantee you will be happier.
Hey guys,
ReplyDeleteI have another little factoid for you. Have you ever seriously craved fresh fruit, or other water based foods? This is a sign that you are dehydrated and need to consume water as soon as you can. I find myself craving fruit on the regular (could just be because it is so good), so I make sure to stay hydrated and snack on things like fresh strawberries, raspberries, and pineapple. Another way to tell if your dehydrated is by performing a skin test. Lightly pinch a small area of skin on your arm. If the skin doesn't snap back into place immediately, you are severely dehydrated.
Brooke, I thought this was very interesting because i find myself craving fruit all of the time. I did some research and found out that we crave fruit when we are hungry because most fruit is very high in water content. Reading this made me wonder what else could cause food craving. I found out that usually if you are craving something it is because your body is not getting enough of something. However, recent evidence suggests that maybe there could be a more complex cause to your food cravings. I read that food cravings can even be triggered by emotions. Apparently if you associate eating a certain food with a specific emotion (such as eating apple pie on happy occasions with your family) you might crave apple pie when you are lonely and sad.
Delete