Woman's Own: The Good Mood Diet - Top 10 mood foods
1. Breakfast cereals, wholemeal breads
These contain folic acid, which helps the body absorb iron, an essential mineral that curbs fatigue.
2. Oats
Eat porridge for the beneficial effects of alkaloids and flavanoids, which help B vitamins work their feel-good magic.
3. Potatoes, pasta
An evening meal rich in carbohydrate and low in protein helps the body prepare for sleep and helps you sleep well.
4. Turkey, figs, bananas, dates, yogurt, tuna
These supply tryptophan, an amino acid that converts in the body into the feel-good chemical serotonin.
5. Lettuce
This contains lactucarium, which is a very mild sedative.
6 Cottage cheese
High in protein, it also supplies tryptophan (see 4).
7 Milk, especially warmed
Adding a little honey to warm milk releases chemicals in the body that are calming.
8. Brussels sprouts, broccoli and cabbage
These are rich in folic acid (see 1).
9 Lean meat
This contains vitamin B6 - in tests, people with low mood were found to have low levels of this vitamin.
10 Bananas
These are high in carbohydrates and natural sugars. Bananas are known to promote calm and can help stave off cravings.
Foods to avoid
- Game
- Pickled foods
- Cheese, especially processed, and blue cheese
- Textured vegetable protein
- Meat extracts
By Andrea Mann
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