I love to cook and I’m always trying to find ways to boost my mood with food. There’s no doubt that diet can affect your mental health (and vice versa).

In fact, researchers have found that people who eat a healthy diet are less likely to suffer from depression than those whose diets are lacking in nutrients. But it’s not just about having a balanced diet; certain foods contain specific nutrients that make them particularly good for boosting your mood. Here are the top 10 mood boosting foods on the market today:

Bananas

Bananas are a great source of vitamin B6, which helps turn food into energy. They’re also rich in potassium and magnesium, both key minerals for maintaining muscle function. {omit} Bananas are also high in fiber, which can help lower cholesterol levels by reducing the amount of fat absorbed by the body when eaten with meals.

Bananas are a good source of vitamin C, which protects skin cells from free radicals that could cause aging or even cancer. Vitamins A and B6 found in bananas help support healthy eyesight as well as mental health; tryptophan has been linked to mood improvement as well!

Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate is rich in antioxidants, which are good for your overall health and can help reduce stress. Dark chocolate is also high in magnesium and other minerals, as well as flavonoids (anti-inflammatory substances found in plants) that promote heart health. Chocolate contains additional mood-boosting ingredients such as fiber, which helps regulate blood sugar levels; try to choose dark chocolate with no more than 70% cacao content (which is still a lot of fat!).

Because it has so many benefits for your body’s metabolism, you should feel even better when you add some dark chocolate chips or cacao powder to your next batch of cookies or muffins!

Oatmeal

Oatmeal is a versatile whole grain that can be used to make your own snacks or breakfast. Oatmeal is high in fiber, which helps you feel full and stay regular. It’s also packed with vitamins and minerals, so it’s good for your health overall. You can buy oatmeal in the grocery store, but it’s much cheaper (and more fun) to make it yourself!

Spinach and Other Greens

Spinach and other greens are loaded with powerful nutrients. Spinach is rich in iron, magnesium, and folate—all of which are crucial to your health. It also has plenty of vitamin K (which helps keep calcium in check), fiber, vitamin A (for healthy skin and vision), and vitamin C (for immune support).

Avocados

Avocados have a healthy fat content and are rich in fiber, potassium and vitamin E. They can also help lower cholesterol levels. This mood boosting food is a staple in most KETO diets.

Avocados are an excellent source of monounsaturated fat (the good kind of fat), which can help to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke by lowering LDL cholesterol levels in your body. According to Harvard Medical School, eating an avocado daily may help you lower your cholesterol by 10-15 points over time.

Salmon

• Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are known to reduce inflammation and improve heart health, brain function, joint mobility, skin tone and overall mood.
• Omega-3s also help keep you looking younger by reducing wrinkles and dark circles under the eyes (a fact that’s proven by science).

Berries

Berries are a great source of antioxidants and can help to lower your risk for heart disease, cancer and diabetes. They also have the ability to lower blood pressure, cholesterol and inflammation.

Berries are also rich in fiber which helps keep you full longer. Berries contain unique vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, folate (folic acid), potassium, zinc, copper and iron. These nutrients help prevent diseases such as osteoporosis by regulating bone mineral density (the amount of calcium in bones).

Nuts and Seeds

Nuts and seeds are a great source of protein and fiber, which help you feel full for longer. These foods also contain fatty acids that may lower cholesterol levels, decrease your risk of heart disease and stroke, lower blood pressure, improve brain function (particularly memory), increase bone mass density and reduce inflammation in the body.

You can enjoy nuts in various forms: raw or roasted; plain or seasoned with spices; chopped or ground into a coarse meal; as an addition to baked goods like cookies or cakes; tossed with vegetables as part of a salad like this one with lentils & quinoa; or atop soups like this black bean soup recipe we’ll share later on in our blog post about 5 mood boosting foods for when you’re feeling anxious!

Almonds and Walnuts are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, niacin, and vitamin E. They also contain fiber, magnesium, antioxidants, and phytosterols, which may lower “bad” LDL cholesterol. Almonds in particular contain manganese, riboflavin, calcium, and iron. Walnuts are also high in copper and iron. Both nuts make a tasty addition to salads, sandwiches or yogurt for a healthy snack.

Nuts and seeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, niacin, and vitamin E. They also contain fiber, magnesium, antioxidants, and phytosterols, which may lower “bad” LDL cholesterol. Almonds in particular contain manganese, riboflavin, calcium, and iron. Walnuts are also high in copper and iron. Both nuts make a tasty addition to salads, sandwiches or yogurt for a healthy snack.

Whole Grains

Whole grains are more nutritious than refined grains. Whole grain foods contain the entire grain kernel — the bran (outer layer), germ (inner portion that sprouts a new plant), and endosperm (starchy middle), as opposed to refined grains, which are stripped of their outer layers. Because they’re missing some of the fiber and nutrients that were stripped away during processing, refined grains don’t provide the same health benefits as whole grains.

Whole grains have more fiber and nutrients than refined grains. Whole wheat flour has nearly seven times as much fiber as white flour, for instance, which can make you feel fuller for longer and help lower cholesterol levels by reducing its absorption from your gut into your bloodstream.Fiber also helps prevent blood sugar spikes that lead to energy slumps later in the day.

Eggs

Eggs are a good source of protein. One egg contains roughly 6 grams of protein, which is just over half the amount you need per day. It also contains vitamin B12 and riboflavin (a vitamin used in energy metabolism), selenium (an antioxidant that prevents liver damage) as well as choline (a nutrient that may help lower your risk of heart disease).

However, it’s important not to go overboard with egg consumption—the American Heart Association recommends eating no more than one whole egg per day due to its high cholesterol content.

A good diet can help improve your mood (and health in general).

Good nutrition is key to maintaining a healthy mood, as well as your general health. A poor diet can lead to feelings of fatigue, irritability and depression.

A healthy diet is one that focuses on whole foods such as fruits and vegetables (instead of processed foods like chips or cookies), lean meats instead of fatty meats, whole grains such as brown rice instead of white pasta or breads. It also means eating plenty of water! This can be accomplished by drinking 8 glasses a day at least (the average person needs between 64 – 80 ounces daily).

Conclusion

And that, my friends, is the end of today’s blog post! I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it.