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Just because the sun is out doesn’t mean you can’t feel gloomy. Sometimes, things get you down, and you need serotonin boosting foods to help you out of a rut. In this article, we’re giving you a rundown of foods to lift low mood and our top products for a mood boosting diet.
Why should you eat foods that are mood boosters?
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A diet of fast food, takeaways, sweet treats, and sugary sodas tastes great at the time. But after a while, you start feeling lethargic and sluggish. Your energy levels dip, it’s harder to sleep, and your moods take a hit. Eating healthy improves mood, but it also comes with a range of other incredible health benefits.
- Better energy - The best foods to boost mood and energy are high in fibre and protein, which slowly release energy and keep you uplifted throughout the day.
- Reduces mild anxiety - Mental health-boosting foods stimulate the hormone serotonin that rebalances your nervous system, making you feel happier and less anxious.
- Improves sleep quality - The best food to improve moods regulates melatonin, the sleep hormone that helps you drift off at night.
- Stress reducers - Eating to improve mood reduces cortisol, the stress hormone, so you can feel calmer and deal with stressful situations.
- Increases happiness - Healthy eating won’t eliminate your worries. But there are instant mood-booster foods that can lift your spirits and spark joy
The best mood-lifting foods
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Foods that promote a positive mood are simple to incorporate into your diet. Check out the top 10 healthy foods that improve your mood:
Dark chocolate
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Dark chocolate is one of the easiest mood-enhancing foods you can eat daily. It’s rich in antioxidants to lower stress and lightly caffeinated to increase focus and energy. Try silky dark chocolate infused with mint and chocolate, plain dark chocolate, or sugar-free dark chocolate.
Dark chocolate to improve mood
Live cultures and probiotics
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Your gut is directly linked to your moods. Eating poorly can make you feel down, but eating healthily can help you feel better. So what you put in your stomach matters! Gut foods that boost mental health include live cultures and probiotics. They contain healthy bacteria that feed the gut microbiome to keep your digestive system happy and your hormones balanced.
Best gut-loving and mood boosting foods
Oats
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One of the best better mood foods is oats. The nutrient-dense grain is packed with fibre and a source of protein that gradually releases energy. More energy equals a happier mood, so try switching your sugary cereal for a bowl of porridge in the morning.
Best oats to increase your mood:
Berries
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Berries are a fantastic food that can elevate your mood. They’re bursting with vitamin C and antioxidants, which decrease stress, regulate blood pressure and stimulate serotonin.
Berries for a better mood
Dried fruit
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Dried fruit doesn’t just taste delicious, it’s also a simple mood booster. Fruit, like bananas, are rich in potassium to nurture heart health and mood regulation. Mangoes are high in B6 for better brain health. And apple and apricots are sources of tryptophan, which improves serotonin release.
Fruits that boost serotonin
Nuts and seeds
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Nuts and seeds are superpowered brain foods to boost your mood. They’re abundant in amino acids and give your body a dose of protein for slow-releasing energy
Best nuts to increase serotonin levels
Best seeds for a better mood
Green tea
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This one isn’t strictly a food that puts you in a good mood, but a tea. Green tea and matcha tea come from the plant Camellia sinensis. Its leaves are dried and crushed to make a potent, anti-inflammatory drink that soothes your body and boosts happiness.
Best green tea to lift your mood
Pulses, beans and lentils
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To follow a diet for mood improvement, you must include pulses, beans and lentils. They’re incredibly high in fibre for a healthy gut and a good source of protein for mood enhancement
Best pulses, beans and lentils for a sunny mood
Fish oil
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Omega-3, or foods that contain omega-3 can help improve your mood. It’s a healthy fat that calms inflammation, enhances the release of serotonin, and increases blood flow for hormone distribution. A wonderful source of omega-3 is fish oils, which we’ve bottled into supplements to take on the go.
Best fish oil mood boosters
Spinach
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Foods that raise serotonin include dark leafy greens, and our happiness-enhancing superfood is spinach. Can’t eat fresh spinach every day? We’ve got a solution. Try our top spinach-based products, which you can stock in your cupboard or take on a summer picnic.
Best spinach products for better mood and energy
Mood enhancing mushrooms
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Mushrooms have been used for centuries to treat mild low moods and anxiety. They’re incredible foods that stimulate serotonin, promoting peace and happiness.
Top mood-enhancing mushrooms
Eat foods to improve mood with Grape Tree
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Nourishing your body with foods that boost your mood is the perfect way to enhance your summer. Pack your picnic with dried fruit, make a mood-improving spinach shake, or take a few drops of mushroom extract to stimulate serotonin. Enjoy life and boost your summer happiness with Grape Tree.
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