Lets talk about foods that put our mood down. We often blame a lack of sleep, or stress at work, or too much computers when we feel down – not our food. But our daily diet plays a very important role in our emotional state and energy levels. If you are feeding your body with unhealthy foods, you’ll begin to feel fatigued, unmotivated, and even a little distracted. Foods affect your memory and your ability to focus, think clearly, and relax.
Processed food can cause an array of mental and emotional effects, and it’s not just one ingredient at fault. In fact, it is a toxic mixture of bad fats, preservatives, colorants, artificial sweeteners and refined carbohydrates that can create imbalances in your body.
Foods that put your mood down
Food can put your mood up and can put it down. Here are some items to keep out of your kitchen:
Refined sugars
We are consuming too much of refined sugars. It’s a fact. Whether they come from soda or cupcakes, ketchup or table syrup, they cause mood swings, lack of energy, and inability to lose weight. Refined sugar can put you on an emotional roller coaster: very high at the beginning and then rapidly goes down causing stress-hormone levels (such as adrenaline and cortisol) rise in response and making you feel stressed and depleted. Moreover, it can lead to chronic mood disorders and anxiety.
Processed foods
Artificial manufactured additives put a lot of stress on our body. Some of the biggest offenders include monosodium glutamate (MSG), which literally kills neurons in your brain; aspartame, which is associated with depression and panic attacks; and artificial colors, which have been connected with hyperactivity. Lots of processed foods are packed with trans fats, which many studies have linked with increased irritability and aggression.
High-fiber vegetables
Don’t be surprised! Too much of a good thing often has a bad effect. Even the healthiest food can be killing; everything depends on the amount of it. Lettuce, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and other high-fiber vegetables are usually praised for their health benefits, but when consumed in large amounts they are common sources of gastrointestinal discomfort. They are very hard to digest, and because of that they can make you tired and sluggish, groggy and mentally foggy.
TIP: While shopping, always check the ingredient list: the less ingredients the better. Usually five and more ingredients can be a reliable indicator that the food is not healthy. If anything looks chemical or unrecognizable, don’t buy it! Stick with simple, clean, and whole foods for your good mood and healthy body.
A mood-boosting diet is not about eating a pound of chocolate before meeting your loved one. It’s about having a piece of dark chocolate, bananas, grapes, or seafood rich in omega-3 fatty acids in your diet on a regular basis. These are ongoing investments in your health, not a project.
