Healthy Foods That Boost Your Mood

Some foods can help boost your mood, making you happier and reducing your risk of heart disease and cancer. These 5 healthy foods are filled with nutrients that improve your health, as well as your mood. If you’re feeling down or depressed, try adding these 5 foods to your diet to feel better fast!

Heart Health

The ideal fats that you want to include in your diet are mono- and polyunsaturated fats (such as olive oil, canola oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, and peanut butter). There's evidence that both of these types of healthy fats can help lower your risk for heart disease. They also raise levels of HDL (good) cholesterol while lowering blood triglycerides. What's more, they may even help reduce inflammation in arteries -- a major risk factor for heart attack and stroke. Talk about a healthy way to boost your mood!

Reduced Cancer Risk

Eating a healthy diet means you’re eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, and studies show that people who eat a diet rich in plant-based foods have lower rates of cancer. Plant-based diets also provide antioxidants—which may help reduce your risk for disease as well as aging. Eating antioxidant-rich foods helps boost your body’s defenses against potential cancer cells, making it harder for them to develop into full-blown tumors.

Better Mood

Eating a healthy diet can help improve your mood and well-being by reducing inflammation, which has been linked to depression. Inflammation is caused by sugar, artificial sweeteners, processed food, trans fats, and saturated fats—and can also be triggered by stress. Inflammation inhibits serotonin production (serotonin helps regulate your mood), so eating foods that reduce inflammation is key for maintaining your mental health.

Increased Energy

Eating healthy isn’t just about your waistline; it can also give you more energy throughout your day. By eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, as well as lean proteins like nuts and beans, you’ll boost your health from head to toe. The vitamins and minerals in healthy foods are important for all kinds of bodily functions, including aiding in digestion and boosting metabolism. More energy means better performance at work or school—and a healthier you!

Weight loss

Like your brain, your stomach needs good nutrients to perform at its best. When you eat healthy foods like vegetables and lean proteins, your stomach has plenty of good stuff to work with. This will help you digest better and feel satisfied longer, which can aid in weight loss. The next time you’re on a diet, consider upping your intake of some of these mood-boosting foods as well as others that have been linked to better health: soybeans, walnuts, garlic (two raw cloves per day for a week), leafy greens (spinach is best), broccoli and fatty fish (such as salmon or tuna).

Improved memory memory

Research suggests that eating more flavonoid-rich fruits and vegetables can improve memory. A study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that healthy middle-aged adults who had higher intakes of flavonoids showed significant improvements in both visual and verbal memory compared to those with a lower intake. We’re talking blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, beets—pretty much any berry is high in antioxidants (in particular anthocyanins), which have been shown to boost brain health by reducing inflammation. Eat them as often as possible! Green leafy vegetables: Leafy greens are great sources of lutein and zeaxanthin, carotenoids associated with eye health.

Diabetes managementmanagement

Eating healthy is one of many ways to keep your blood sugar level under control. Eating a diet rich in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables can help reduce inflammation within your body. Reducing inflammation may help fight cancer, diabetes management, and heart disease. Balance your food choices with physical activity; while there is no one-size-fits-all approach to eating right for diabetes management—other than following a balanced diet plan and adding exercise—research shows that losing weight (if you are overweight or obese) lowers blood sugar levels, reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke and may help prevent type 2 diabetes.

Strong bones and teeth teeth

Calcium is important for all aspects of your health, including supporting strong bones and teeth. It’s also vital for maintaining a healthy heartbeat. In fact, an adult’s recommended daily intake of calcium is about 1,000 milligrams a day. This works out to three cups of milk or 21⁄2 ounces of cheese (or 31⁄2 ounces of fortified yogurt). Getting enough calcium can help reduce your risk for osteoporosis and keep your bones strong as you age—not to mention making sure that everything from stress fractures to broken hips are less likely to happen in old age.

Getting a good night’s sleep sleep

Sleep improves your mood in a number of ways. First, it affects neurotransmitters and hormones that control feelings of contentment and well-being. Sleep deprivation can even lead to depression. A better mood, in turn, helps you get a better night’s sleep; when you don’t like how you feel, chances are you won’t be able to relax enough to get into a deep sleep. In fact, many people who suffer from chronic insomnia have trouble falling asleep—and staying asleep—only after they’ve woken up for an extended period of time during the night.