Mood Food is a gastronomic trend that takes into account those foods that favor the creation of substances that generate well-being in people
For those who do not yet know the gastronomic trend Mood Food, it consists of consuming foods that activate certain brain neurotransmitters, directly related to pleasure and happiness.
The human body is capable of manufacturing a series of hormones that directly influence people's moods. Among them is serotonin, also known as the ' pleasure hormones '. And curiously, this substance is found in some foods, so its consumption contributes directly to improving our mood.
In short, serotonin, along with some amino acids such as tryptophan, or vitamins such as B1, B6 and B12 must be present in our body if we want to avoid irritability as much as possible and enhance good feelings. And through our diet, we can contribute to increasing its level in our body.
We review to what extent these substances influence our mood and happiness, and share the foods in which they are found to the greatest extent. Are you joining the Mood Food trend?
With Mood Food we take into account the substances that produce well-being
Tryptophan
Tryptophan is an amino acid precursor to serotonin. This means that, for our body to manufacture serotonin by itself, it must find high levels of tryptophan in the blood. There are tryptophan tablets as such, which obviously provide us with a greater amount of this substance, but we can also find tryptophan (in lesser quantity) in many foods.
Serotonin
As we have already advanced, serotonin is a neurotransmitter monoamine that is capable of acting as an inhibitor of anger, pressure or bad mood. These states are directly related to depressive processes, so a good level of serotonin in our body will help us avoid them.
Foods rich in tryptophan are involved in the serotonin production process, so they should be taken into account.
Some foods that contain tryptophan
· Cheese
· Lean meat (chicken and turkey)
· Blue fish
· Vegetables
· Walnuts
However, the process is not as simple as taking walnuts, they cause us a tryptophan high, we generate serotonin and suddenly we are much happier than five minutes ago. No, this does not work like that.
To begin, the brain can only absorb tryptophan, so that this in turn create serotonin, if this is associated with carbohydrates, magnesium, potassium or vitamin B. So along with the foods that I mentioned above we must also consume some extra sugar. This causes our bodies to produce insulin, which makes neurons in the brain receptive to the absorption of tryptophan to generate serotonin.
That is, in a short term we can control our mood to a certain extent with the intake of specific food. But in the long term, it is best that we carry out a balanced diet, rich in foods with tryptophan, yes, but with blood sugar control to avoid diseases and weight gain.
Vitamins B
In addition, other substances that should not be lacking in our body are B vitamins, especially B9 and B12.
Some of the foods that contain different B vitamins, involved in different processes of the nervous system are, for example, tuna and legumes.
The foods that give us more well-being
The following foods have been selected not only because they contain a high level of tryptophan, but also because they integrate the substances necessary for tryptophan to be absorbed by the brain and to generate serotonin.
Chocolate
Chocolate is, par excellence, the great food of happiness. It is very complete and, of course, favors the creation of serotonin thanks to its sugar and cocoa butter. And you have to remember that the blacker, the healthier and the less weight gain it causes, since it has less fat. If you want to follow the Mood Food gastronomic trend, I hope you are a friend of chocolate, because it is one of the essential products.
Plantain
Thanks to the banana we can cause the generation of serotonin, since it contains a lot of tryptophan, but it is also much healthier than chocolate. It is rich in potassium, has many nutrients and fiber, and contains little fat.
Pineapple
Pineapple is itself an anti-inflammatory, which helps in many processes related to bad mood and irritability. It is recommended to consume pineapple daily. It is rich in minerals and vitamins and contains substances that promote the creation of serotonin.
Salmon
Salmon contains omega 3 fatty acids, very necessary for the synthesis of serotonin. In addition, the fatty acids in salmon also help improve concentration.
Legume
Legumes contain many vitamins, such as B1, B3, B6 or B9, and they are also rich in minerals, iron and magnesium. All of these nutrients, to their optimum extent, reduce low mood and improve mood. We remember that B vitamins are associated, when a deficiency of them is detected, to states of nervousness and irritation. So, for the Mood Food philosophy, legumes are very important.
Spicy
Chillies, for example, are positive for improving our mood for a simple reason. The brain receives the spicy as pain and to counteract it generates endorphins that stimulate the sensation of well-being.
Foods that make us irritable
On the other hand, the foods that generate more stress and irritability have to do with those less healthy, since the substances that they contribute to our body cause unpleasant sensations.
For example, industrial bakery, which contains such high levels of sugar, is not positive for our body and generates anxiety and, in certain cases, something similar to a kind of addiction for continuing to consume more and more sugar in large quantities. The same happens with precooked dishes, which have additives and added substances that do not benefit us. Or the fattiest meats, which it is recommended not to consume more than two or three times a week.
Taking into account all these aspects, we can join the Mood Food philosophy, which, as we have already explained, is nothing more than trying to generate happiness through food. In the end, it all comes down to common sense and a balanced diet. Since although we take more into account those foods capable of generating feelings of well-being, it is normally a balanced and healthy diet that gives us these reactions.
However, even in ketosis, you burn dietary fat first, and body fat after that. You don't automatically lose weight by being in ketosis all the time. You still need to be in a calorie deficit so your metabolism runs out of dietary fat and starts running on your stored body fat.