Food That Impacts Your Mood

Changing Your Diet During Quarantine Can Help Boost Your Mood

It is easy to get wrapped up in simple and accessible meals during quarantine, but the foods that you consume in a day can greatly affect your state of mind.

Many people think of going on a diet because of body concerns, but what most don’t realize is that the food you eat not only affects your physical health but also your mental health.

Switching to more plant-based foods can definitely help to improve your state of mind due to the number of vitamins that can only be found in plants and not in meat.

“95 percent of serotonin is produced in the gastrointestinal tract,” said Cait Corcoran in an article for onegreenplanet.org. “The digestive system not only breaks down food but also may trigger your emotions.”

Serotonin is a chemical that is produced by the brain that helps improve your mood and several other aspects of your body. Healthy foods can be considered anything from plant-based to foods high in different vitamins and minerals. Consuming more of these foods can improve your digestive system, which in return, increases serotonin levels.

To incorporate a boost of serotonin in a daily meal, try incorporating foods with an amino acid called tryptophan. This amino acid is most effective when consuming plant-based foods, since they have higher concentration of the acid.

“Because serotonin plays such a major role in mental well-being, delivering yourself extra healthy doses of tryptophan can only help,” Corcoran stated. “The recommended dose of this amino acid per day is .29 grams.”

There are several plant-based options that can be easily put into any basic meal. Examples of foods high in tryptophan are mushrooms, leafy greens, soybeans, mushrooms, peas and broccoli.

“What you eat influences every area of your body, including your brain. It is important to consider what you put into your body, because that food will become the fuel for your mind,” Corcoran said.

One thought on “Food That Impacts Your Mood

  • May 12, 2020 at 5:23 pm
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    Awesome article. I’ve tried some of the plane based foods and they are delicious

    Reply

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