5 good mood foods to brighten up your plate
You will be no stranger to the idea that eating a balanced diet is important for maintaining your physical health, but did you know that certain foods can also help you to maintain a healthy mind too?
Thanks to the close link between the gut and the brain (known as the gut-brain axis), your diet can help you to stay alert, feel happy and relaxed, and even to sleep better.
Here are five foods to include in your diet that could boost your mood.
1. Release energy slowly with oats
Oats are a great addition to your diet for so many reasons. They are also relatively cheap to buy.
Oats release energy slowly so that your blood sugar remains at a consistent level throughout the day. This helps you to stay alert, regulates your energy levels, and allows you to think clearly no matter what the day throws at you.
Use them to make porridge for your breakfast, or as a base for some fruity flapjacks.
2. Stay sharp with avocados
Healthy fats are a very important part of a healthy diet, particularly those that contain omega 3 and omega 6. That’s because they help your brain to function at its best. They are a staple of the Mediterranean diet, which you can learn more about in our blog ‘10 healthy habits from around the world that could improve your wellbeing’ on our website.
Avocados are full of these healthy fats, and this makes them a valuable addition to your diet. You may notice that they help you to think more clearly and have improved memory function.
Avocados are delicious as part of a lunchtime salad or mashed on top of sourdough toast.
3. Feel energised with eggs
Protein has so many health benefits but one of the biggest ones is its ability to help us feel fuller for longer. This is because it helps to regulate your blood sugar levels, helping you to avoid energy crashes during the day.
Another benefit is that protein contains the amino acids that your brain needs to stay healthy. So, by eating protein-rich foods like eggs, you know that you’re taking good care of yourself.
Eggs are incredibly versatile, but we think you can’t beat a classic egg and cress sandwich for lunch.
4. Relax with herbal teas
Herbal teas are now a more popular choice than ever, and there are many reasons why.
The first reason is that they help you stay hydrated throughout the day, especially if you don’t like drinking plain water. Staying hydrated has many benefits, from avoiding brain fog to keeping your digestive system moving.
A further benefit that particularly relates to your mood, though, is that unlike black tea or coffee, most herbal teas do not contain caffeine. So, swapping out a caffeinated drink in the evening for a relaxing herbal tea could help you to drift off to sleep much more easily.
When you’re getting the right amount of good quality sleep, you will be much less likely to feel irritable or stressed each day, a sure-fire way to keep yourself feeling happy and relaxed.
There are lots of herbal teas to choose from. Why not try a refreshing peppermint tea to soothe your soul after a delicious dinner this evening?
5. Keep smiling with dark chocolate
Chocolate is sometimes described as a guilty pleasure and not usually associated with health benefits, but research has in fact shown that the right kind of chocolate could be beneficial for your brain and your mood.
Dark chocolate comprising at least 70% cocoa solids is believed to help improve symptoms of depression and anxiety and induce feelings of calm and contentedness. It could help to improve your memory function and learning abilities too.
As the autumn nights draw in, enjoy a dark hot chocolate drink in the evening. If you’re feeling adventurous, try adding a few squares of dark chocolate to a spicy chilli for a richer flavour.
Get in touch
Here at Fortitude, our financial planning services are all about enriching lives. It’s our mission to make sure all of our clients feel happy and confident about their future. If you’d like our help with this, email theteam@fortitudefp.co.uk or call us on 01327 354321.