A lot of stuff goes into how we feel on a day-to-day basis, and our diet is a large part of it.
The way we approach a daily workout, our lifestyle, and most importantly, what we eat, have a huge impact on our physical as well as emotional health.
External influence can certainly alter your mood, but this is only a temporary change, whereas the aforementioned factors can have long-lasting effects.
Fruits are an amazing example of this, as they’re packed with nutrients that help our bodies function normally and within some normal parameters.
In fact, some have been found to be directly linked to improving one’s mood, some of which can reduce stress at times when it seems there’s no way out while others can help our body secrete happiness hormones.
Among the foods that help boost your mood you’ll find:
Tomatoes
Yes, tomatoes are actually a fruit, whether you believe it or not, and while they certainly don’t find their way into a fruit salad very often, science classifies them as such.
However, this isn’t the only interesting thing about this bright-red fruit, as it’s packed with lycopene, which is a highly effective antioxidant that the human body can benefit from.
Even though not everyone can digest them as easily, tomato skins are equally as nutritious and you should try not to peel the tomatoes you consume, as the skin itself has several nutrients that may be able to fix your mood and get you back on your feet in no time.
Lemons
This one sounds like a no-brainer, considering we’ve all felt the refreshment of a cold glass of lemonade on a hot summer day, but there may be more to lemons than you think.
Aside from being rich in Vitamin C, lemons also contain a high amount of water, which is integral to maintaining a good mood throughout the day, whether it’s hot or cold outside.
In fact, you don’t always have to opt for a standard lemonade, and many have invented dozens of variations on this popular fruity drink.
One thing you could do is switch up the sweetener you’re currently using for something like honey, or use no sweetener at all for that matter and just garnish your drink with some mint leaves.
Fatty fish
Fish was known to be highly nutritious for a long time, but once you factor in its high protein and Vitamin B content, it becomes clear why your mood is lifted after a meal.
This is even more true for cold-water fish with higher fat content, such as salmon, tuna, and sardines, which usually have more omega-3 fatty acids than the rest.
A study of these acids found that they’re highly effective in improving your brain’s processing power while also reducing inflammation in the body, which tends to be what’s causing many to experience flashes of fatigue throughout the day.
Beef liver
If you’re looking for a solid source of Vitamin B12, a nice cut of beef liver may be exactly what you need, especially if you’ve been needing some extra energy lately.
Even though B12 is commonly found in meat, beef liver has a high concentration of it.
For comparison, a beef flank steak has around 0.5 micrograms of vitamins per ounce.
In contrast to that, a beef liver cut has 20 micrograms per ounce, and incorporating it into your diet every so often may be incredibly helpful in boosting your mood.
Dark Chocolate
While stuffing your face full of chocolate isn’t necessarily considered to be part of a healthy lifestyle, dark chocolate may be able to break that belief.
Chocolate is already known to be able to boost one’s endorphin secretion levels, effectively making you happier, but dark chocolate, with a high cocoa content, may have many more benefits than the standard milk chocolate you eat every so often.
Aside from dating back to Incan times, high cocoa-content chocolate is packed with antioxidants that may benefit your body in a multitude of ways.
A study conducted by the Turkish Society of Cardiology found that dark chocolate consumption helps your body’s blood circulation.
Not only does this help every cell in your body get more oxygen, but it also helps you feel more awake and alert until the effects wear off
Popcorn
Finally, we have popcorn, and it’s not hard to imagine how it boosts your mood considering you’ve probably consumed it while watching a movie you’ve been waiting for.
However, that’s not the only way popcorn can benefit your body and overall mood, as it’s rich in both carbohydrates and fibers, which help slow digestion in the body.
By doing this, you’re tricking your body into feeling more full for an extended period of time, and it’s part of why it’s a much better snack than potato chips.
On top of this, it may be a great replacement for anyone who’s looking to snack on something but whose diet prevents them from resorting to chips or other products.