Boost Your Mood by Eating Differently

Since the beginning of the financial crisis, the media floods us with news of doom and gloom and one word seems to make it in every headline: recession. In such an environment, it is easy to become depressed and feel overwhelmed by negative feelings. Healthy eating habits can boost your mood and help you overcome these difficult times.

When things go wrong, we compensate and try and feel better, by resorting to binging on ice-cream or having one too many of these sugar-laden chocolate bars (or martinis!). It is no coincidence if sugar and alcohol makes us feel better, as they both trigger the release of endorphins, our brain’s own natural painkiller. Eating sugar creates an endorphin rush, which leads to euphoria and well-being. Similarly, low endorphins contribute to feelings of low self-esteem and lack of self-confidence. No wonder sugar can be so addictive! The problem with this is that physical dependence on sugar reinforces the need to use more and more – making us true slaves of the sugar vicious cycle.

When we are at the mercy of the sugar cycle, we find ourselves suddenly starving, irritable, shaky and a headache often develops. Not to mention those low energy levels and complete inability to focus. That’s when we know that we absolutely have to eat, a sweet snack preferably. After consuming that indispensable chocolate bar, blood sugar levels sky rocket and we finally feel good again and are able to focus on something else than food….until our blood sugar levels suddenly drop, making us reach for that sugary snack yet again! This yo-yo effect can repeat itself several times a day, severely affecting one’s mood and eventually causing significant weight gain.

Another feel-good substance produced by our brain is serotonin. It is made from tryptophan, an amino acid that we get from consuming protein foods (meat, poultry, fish, eggs, legumes). Tryptophan does not enter our brain easily, it can only do so after we consume a meal containing carbohydrates. This means that after consuming a large meal, tryptophan rushes into the brain where it is converted to serotonin – making us feel a sense of calm and serenity.

To harness what we know about the physiological effects of sugar on mood, here are three easy tips to help you balance your blood sugar levels and achieve consistent energy levels as well as a better mood throughout the day:

• 1. Eat a breakfast with protein - include eggs, yoghurt, cottage cheese, milk or even protein powders in your first meal of the day – this will help you keep going until lunchtime and avoid the usual 11am snack time.
• 2. Eat three meals a day with protein – good sources are animal products, dairy or legumes (lentils, soy, beans).
• 3. Shift from white foods to brown foods – white pasta, white rice, white bread, white sugar…all of those are highly refined and contain few of the nutrients we need to function. They are empty calories that feed into the sugar cycle and deplete us of essential nutrients. Replace them with their brown equivalents and feel the difference!

Healthy Recipe

This breakfast recipe gives you a good amount of protein to start your day! Real quick to prepare in the morning, the watercress aromas are a nice change from the usual scramble eggs. Enjoy it on its own or served with a whole meal toast.

Watercress and cherry tomato omelet

Serves 2

1 bunch watercress
10 cherry tomatoes
1 shallot
4 eggs
Salt and pepper
Olive oil

Wash the watercress and roughly chop the leafy parts. Finely chop the shallot and cut the tomatoes in halves. Beat the eggs lightly with a fork and season with salt and peppers. Heat up a non-stick frying pan and sauté the shallots in olive oil until tender. Add in the watercress and cook until wilted. Add in the tomatoes and beaten eggs. Stir until the eggs are just set and serve!