We have all seen that show or heard that story about sitting on the couch and eating ice cream after a bad day or hard break up. It is very obvious that some foods such as sweets, bread, even some soups are “comfort foods.” They elicit a certain type of feeling, a feeling of security and of belonging for many.

An article in the New York Times titled The Science of why you Crave Comfort Food describe the psychological factors that cause a person to seek out certain foods when they are lonely or depressed. These foods often remind people of family gatherings, time with friends and other positive social experiences which create this sense of comfort.

As this example illustrates, food often causes feelings either psychologically or through chemical processes. Below are a few foods that tend to cause certain feelings and moods in the people who eat them.

Bananas

Feeling sad? Turn that frown upside down with a banana. Bananas contain a large amount of dopamine. Dopamine is like the brains happy chemical. It is a neurotransmitter which means that it carries information to the brain like a messenger of some sort. This information can affect the way you identify pleasure and memories.

“Bananas contain dopamine, a natural reward chemical that boosts your mood. They’re also rich in B vitamins, including vitamin B6, which help to soothe your nervous system, and magnesium, another nutrient associated with positive mood.” –Mercola.com

Leafy Greens

The key here is the mineral magnesium. Magnesium is known to be calming. When a person is stressed their stores of magnesium begin to dissipate.

“For people experiencing more than average stress, a study in Medical Hypotheses suggests supplementing with 150 milligrams of magnesium a day to elevate moods.”–Best Health

In addition magnesium is known to help in the function of nerves, aid in bone building and better utilize the energy obtained from food.

Next time you are feeling a little stressed try a salad. It just might help.

Baked Potato

Have problems going to sleep at night? It might be your serotonin intake. Not to fear, a simple baked potato before bed might serve as a trigger to your body’s serotonin production center.

According to Radiant Recovery the potato makes insulin, insulin triggers amino acid movement, and this amino acid movement creates serotonin.
“The potato creates an insulin response that effects the movement of the amino acid tryptophan from your blood into your brain. Your body uses tryptophan to make serotonin, the brain chemical that makes you feel mellow and happy. Serotonin also helps you to “just say no” to sweets and other things by putting the brakes on your impulsivity” –Radiant Recovery

In my research of this, I found that it doesn’t really matter how the potato in prepared as long as the skin is left on and it isn’t deep fried or overly salted. Basically McDonald’s french fries don’t count.

Sugar

This is the first item on the list with a negative connotation. Though sugar in all forms (both healthy and processed) raises blood sugar and therefore energy levels, the effects are temporary at best. Much like a toddler who has had too much candy the body will experience a sudden increase and then a sudden decrease in energy. This may lead to in toddler terms the need for naptime.

“It may seem that consuming sugar in any of its forms (including agave or high-fructose corn syrup) provides a natural energy pick me up. The truth is it leads to a rise in blood glucose. As your blood glucose rises, your body releases insulin to return it to safe levels. As blood glucose normalizes, you may experience an energy dip with resultant mood changes.” –The New York Times, Kimberly Snyder.

Of course natural sweeteners are bound to lessen this effect if consumed responsibly and glucose is an important factor in the function of our bodies.

Omega 3’s

This is more of a broad category since many foods contain omega 3s. Fish is the most wildly known example but other carries of the omega 3 fatty acids include flax seed, chia seed, dairy, eggs, many nuts, brussel sprouts and Kale. The complete list of foods containing this nutritious fatty acid would probably run off the page so I encourage you to do some research of your own.

In addition to fighting depression both clinical and non-clinical Omega 3s also help control ADHD, prevent against Alzheimer’s disease and may even improve lung function.

“A 2006 study at the University of Pittsburgh showed that people with lower blood levels of the polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids had an increased likelihood of mild depression and poor moods. Eating foods high in this valuable fat can improve mood.” –The New York Times, Kimberly Snyder

Of course if you cannot eat these foods or want to be a boring person and not try any of them you can get omega 3 oil in capsule form.
Regardless of the foods you eat, it is most important to make sure to take care of yourself and get plenty of rest. Although these foods may not change your circumstances or for that matter your mood, they may at least help.

The choice is yours. Will you be nutty about health?

For last week’s installment of Health Nut read Health Nut: YouTube Warriors.

This writer can be reached via Twitter: @skylerklee and via Email: [email protected]