10 Foods Guaranteed To Make You Feel Good
Let’s get real for a sec: We all have those days where we just wake up feeling down in the dumps and can’t shake it all day long. Happens to me all the time, so I feel ya. However, I’ve also found quite a few cures for those downtrodden days in edible form. Everything on this list will lift your spirits and get you going to survive the rest of the day. You got this!
Avocados
Who doesn’t love these creamy, delicious fruits? Great in guac, ceviche, and more, these California staples are also great sources of omega-3 fatty acids, tyrosines, and folic acid, all of which can help get rid of any sad feelings you may be having. Maybe that’s why Californians seem so chill all the time?
Swiss Cheese
Reuben sandwiches got Swiss and always make me feel good, and the cheese may be the reason why. Swiss is high in Vitamin B12 and zinc, both of which balance your brain and keep it on point to keep your mood feeling good. Can’t find any “holes” in that argument.
Green Tea
Not gonna lie, I’m more of a tea person than a coffee person. Green tea is a personal favorite of mine, and the dopamine it helps produce to boost my spirits may be the reason why. It’s the perfect “matcha” for your drink choice when you’re feeling moody!
Chocolate
Turns out that Professor Lupin was onto something un-magical when he gave Harry Potter chocolate to fend off the chilling effects of a Dementor attack. Chocolate is also rich in tyrosine levels, so it’ll produce a good amount of dopamine in the brain as a result. No wonder Harry felt so good after eating that chocolate!
Tomatoes
Salsa dance is fun and spirited, but it’s got nothing on edible salsa in terms of making you happy. Tomatoes are naturally high in serotonin, which is often known as the “happy molecule.” It’s known to help maintain a positive mood, and tomatoes are one of the few natural sources of serotonin that we can eat. The next time you eat pico de gallo, you can feel good from the zesty flavor and the serotonin as well.
Spinach
Popeye was always a happy guy, and it wasn’t just the health benefits that made him feel fly. Spinach has impressive levels of magnesium, folic acid, and Omega-3 essential fatty acids, all of which help regulate brain function and improve your mood. Eating greens isn’t just good for you ‘cause it’s healthy, it also makes you feel elated as well.
Eggs
Rocky used to chug eggs as part of his breakfast, and he definitely shared the Brotherly Love that you’d expect from a guy from Philly. Since eggs contain a true wealth and variety of mood-boosting nutrients, including vitamin B12 and D, tryptophan, and tyrosine, all of which cause pleasure and happiness in your life. Factor in the protein, creamy yolk flavor, and ubiquitous usage, and eggs are one of the best feel-good foods you can ingest. Maybe not as raw as Rocky did though, that dude was a hardcore champ.
Cashews
You’ll likely cashew me outside with these nuts, ‘cause they’re tasty, mood-lifting, and nutritious. Like other nuts, cashews are high in tryptophan, zinc, and magnesium, all of which contribute to the creation of the cheery hormone serotonin. You’re gonna dig having these nuts around to make you feel radiant. How bou dat.
Yogurt
Yogurt can be a delicious, silky treat that works for both breakfast or a snack. This dairy product also will delight you with it’s high amount of tyrosine that turns into the feel-good hormone serotonin. It’s versatile use in both savory and sweet meals means that you can incorporate this uplifting staple into almost anything you eat.
Turkey Breast
The tryptophan in turkey that we often blame for that Thanksgiving food coma isn’t just useful for making you sleepy. It also is a morale boosting molecule, as is the chromium and iron that can be found in copious quantities in turkey. So when you fall into that Thanksgiving slumber, you can relax knowing that it’ll make you feel better and gratified as well.
Ribeye Steak
Everybody rags on red meat and steak as being bad for you, inflammatory, and a cause of cancer. Sure, it may be known for that, but a good piece of ribeye steak can also be beneficial. Ribeye is plenteous in iron and tryptophan, which are both crucial for brain health and combat depressive feelings. So relax some, you don’t have to feel too guilty about cutting into a juicy, delicious steak anymore.
