This is a sponsored post.
If we each had a pound for every time we’ve been told, “You are what you eat”, we’d probably all be well on our way to becoming millionaires by now.
While it might seem like somewhat of a cliche, however, there’s actually a lot of truth in this time-old saying. The nutritional value of the food we eat has been studied by medical professionals for years. Recently, however, our appetite for good food has seriously stepped up a notch.
Nowadays, it’s just as common to come across food therapists – people who specialise in telling us which foods we need to eat in order to boost our mood or relieve stress – as it is to come across regular nutritionists and dieticians who might provide tailored eating plans for those living with specific health conditions or for those striving to lose weight, for example.
In fact, we’ve become so obsessed with improving our physical and mental well-being, many of us are willing to fork out our own hard-earned cash to pay a food therapist to design a mood-boosting new diet or eating plan for us.
I’m a firm believer that the foods we eat can have a huge impact on our health and how we feel, so I’d love nothing more than to hire a food therapist of my very own. Sadly, however, I don’t think my budget will stretch to it at the moment.
Thankfully though, if you’re willing to do a little research of your own, there are plenty of useful resources out there to help us to establish what kinds of foods we should be eating if we want to improve our mental wellbeing.
To get you started, I’ve listed some of my favourite examples below. What would your top five mood-boosting foods be? Jot down a comment in the box below to let me know.
5 foods to put you in a good mood
Fatty fish
Eating fatty, oily fish like salmon, mackerel and albacore tuna is a great way to improve your brain health, as these are a well-known source of Omega-3 fatty acids, which our bodies are unable to produce by themselves.
These acids aid brain development and help with cell signalling throughout the body. What’s more, the two specific types of Omega-3 fatty acid – docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) — are actually thought to reduce symptoms of depression too.
According to nutritionists, we should aim to eat around 250-500mg of combined EPA and DHA per day. Eating just 100g of salmon will provide 2,260mg of EPA and DHA, so this is a fantastic food to add to your diet. From Eggs Royale and salmon en croute to smoked salmon canapes (like the pumpkin-inspired ones I made for Halloween, pictured below) and smoked salmon and cream cheese sandwiches, there are so many ways to incorporate salmon into your daily meals.
CBD
Widely praised for its ability to enable us to relax, provide pain relief and relieve nausea and anxiety, CBD is commonly used all over the world in oil, capsule, spray and gummy form, but did you know you can also add it to your food?
Derived from the cannabis sativa plant, cannabidiol (CBD) oil is a natural substance found in hemp plants bred for nutritional purposes. First, the leaves and flowers of the plant are mixed to form a hemp paste and afterwards, the CBD oil is extracted from this.
The cannabis plant also contains tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is the psychoactive substance that’s known to get us “stoned”. As THC has been linked to psychosis, the levels found in CBD products are strictly controlled, so you don’t need to worry about getting too high after consuming CBD oil in any shape or form. Similarly, you won’t need to worry about getting arrested or reprimanded by the Police if you’re found carrying CBD on your person, as it’s a perfectly legal substance.
Generally, CBD tends to work best in foods with a strong, distinctive taste like coffee or chocolate, as it’s difficult to taste it this way. However, you can experiment with adding it to just about any food you like. I tend to add a few drops to my smoothies in the morning.
Dark chocolate
Not only does dark chocolate taste absolutely delicious, but it also does the world of good for our bodies.
The cocoa content in dark chocolate instantly boosts our mood and improves our concentration, driving blood to the brain and giving us more energy. In fact, according to the British Pharmacological Society, the flavanols in chocolate can significantly improve cognitive functioning, enabling us to stay focused for longer.
Just a few squares of dark chocolate is all it takes to reap the benefits – give it a go and see if it does the trick for you!
If you’re a dark chocolate fan, why not treat yourself to a trip to Grenada Chocolate Festival? Visit Grenada’s five single origin bean-to-bar cacao estates and see for yourself where our chocolate actually comes from.
Grass-fed meat
It’s no secret that eating organic, grass-fed meat offers a big helping hand to our wider environment and aligns with animal welfare principles. However, not many people realise that eating grass-fed meat is actually better for our own bodies too.
Cattle which graze on grass pastures generally tend to produce more linoleic acid (a.k.a. CLA) – a ‘happy’ fat known for reducing stress and eliminating belly fat.
When it comes to which kind of grass-fed meat to choose, opt for beef for lower fat levels and higher levels of Omega-3 fatty acids. Alternatively, if your main concern is improving mood and memory, choose lamb; it contains plenty of iron, which is known to boost our mood and improve recall.
So, whether you buy your meat online or head to a quality local butcher, treat yourself to a decent cut of grass-fed beef or lamb and take some time to reflect upon how you feel after eating it.
Bananas
The humble banana has long been praised for its ability to boost our moods and, in particular, to make us feel happier.
Bananas contain a protein called tryptophan, which our bodies convert to serotonin. Not only is this hormone known to help us to relax, but it also puts a smile on our faces too.
What’s more, bananas also contain a high quantity of magnesium, serving to improve our physical and mental wellbeing further.
Comment below to let me know which foods you’d include in your new mood-boosting diet. Can you think of any tasty ideas I haven’t mentioned?
This is a sponsored post.