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As anyone who’s ever seen me try to navigate a menu at an Indian restaurant can attest to, I have virtually no tolerance for spicy foods. For years I avoided them like the plague, until a few months ago when someone slipped a few serious Jalapenos onto a deli sandwich I was eating. As my eyes began to water and I gritted my teeth, waiting for the fire to die out, a friend said “Sure it hurts, but doesn’t it feel good, too?” And through the pain, I realized he was right: something about that spiciness was tickling my brain. I had a heightened sense of awareness, a boosted mood and, all told, a sense of humor about the jalapeno trick I might not have had a few minutes prior. Suddenly I was hooked: hot peppers are mood food!
Naturally, I wanted to find other mood foods, and figure out how to maximize my brain power via the foods I eat. One thing I learned about food and mood a long time ago was that if I was ever feeling down, an unhealthy lunch of drive-thru burger and fries was an almost instant pick-me-up — leading to an inevitable crash about 40 minutes later. So Wendy’s was definitely off the mood food list. (It’s easy to see how eating can become a cycle of addiction for the morbidly obese: you eat to feel better, but then you feel worse than before, the easiest cure for which is just a drive-thru away. Yikes.)
To help navigate the menu of mood foods, here are some tips:
• Want to avoid the post-lunch snoozies? Stay alert with protein: five ounces of grilled chicken at lunch will promote the creation of dopamine and norepinephrine in your brain, which will help keep you sharp all afternoon.
• Kill stress with foods rich in magnesium, like sesame seeds and spinach. They fight stress hormones and reduce your risk of developing high blood pressure.
• Fat-free carbs fight insomnia. Try eating your favorite fat-free carb-heavy snack (like popcorn) a half-hour before bed. It creates serotonin, which relaxes you — but fat will slow the process.
• Get happy with fish. According to Men’s Health, “a study in Finland found that people who eat more fish are 31 percent less likely to suffer from depression.” Grilled salmon or sushi are a great way to go (and if you have a family history of high cholesterol, like me, the Omega-3 oils in salmon will do your heart good, as well).
• Remember the antioxidants … or you might not remember anything. Your brain is an organ that needs lots of oxygen, so oxidants can really affect its function. Antioxidants like colorful fruits and vegetables help “pick off the free radicals that wear away at your memory.”
Which mood foods help you?
Info source: Men’s Health
Comments (18)
Comment
Um…what about the mother of all mood foods?
Chocolate!
And its not just good for PMS but I also use it for when I have a general headache. Just letting a Herhey’s kiss or a truffle melt on my tongue does me good.
And ice cream puts EVERYONE in a good mood!
posted by Sweet Pea on 12-11-2007 at 11:38 am
Good tips – I agree with the chocolate. Green tea is a good pick me up with no drop later.
Just a picky comment – hate that term morbidly obese – as if obese isn’t bad enough. How about morbid smokers? Morbid alcoholics? And its not just the fatties you see in the fast-food drive thrus!
posted by Dracena on 12-11-2007 at 11:52 am
I completely agree with your theory about spicy foods and mood. I always feel great after a sushi lunch. I load up on wasabi and spicy salmon and wahoo!!
I wanted to offer this up though. For many (not all), eating a small handful of peanuts or a small spoonful of peanutbutter before going to sleep will induce more vivid, more brightly colored dreams.
posted by jen on 12-11-2007 at 12:22 pm
Beer (a.k.a. “liquid bread”) puts me in a good mood.
posted by Scooby Don't on 12-11-2007 at 12:27 pm
Of course, everything in moderation, as they say…
Chocolate – not the lame Hersey’s milk chocolate, but high cacao chocolate, at least 60%. Good for the heart and circulation!
Coffee every now and then is a treat and pick-me-up
Glasses of WATER all day, every day prevents headaches and dehydration
Chamomille and Jasmine teas are relaxing
Lots of fiber (oatmeal, Wheaties, etc) to stay um, “satisfied” ;)
posted by tona b. on 12-11-2007 at 12:44 pm
As mentioned, water is my ‘mood food’. Simply put, if I drink lots of water, I feel good and function well. If I don’t have my water bottle with me all day, I can’t function and I feel terrible. When I’m in the computer lab working on school projects, I guzzle water like no other… it helps me stay awake and sane and concentrating. I drink maybe 4-5 liters of water a day, so I have a Nalgene bottle that I refill at water fountains.
posted by Melissa on 12-11-2007 at 2:19 pm
I keep a dish of individually-wrapped dark chocolates near my desk. They taste great, boost your mood, are loaded with antioxidants, and since most of the office stalkers are looking for the Snickers and Butterfinger bars, my candy dish only gets raided by a few discriminating co-workers.
The health benefits are my justification for eating candy.
posted by Bre on 12-11-2007 at 2:28 pm
Does fettucine alfredo count as mood food?
posted by BS on 12-11-2007 at 3:24 pm
water works wonders. i’m currently working on my MBA in an evening program. i’ve convinced a LOT of classmates to drink water if they’re feeling tired instead of something caffinated. while water does make you feel better and provide better, cleaner energy for your body by detoxing you, they all think i’m a health nut so i had to appeal to their logical side with this: if you’re tired and drink a lot of water you’ll stay awake because you’ll have to pee and you can’t fall asleep if you have to pee. very logical. also, once you’ve taken are of business you can go to sleep immediaately, and not toss and turn at night from the caffine.
posted by mri on 12-11-2007 at 4:19 pm
I can identify with your ‘hidden jalapeno surprises’…once I was eating at a Chinese buffet restaurant by myself…I didn’t know about the red peppers that spice General’s Tso’s Chicken, and ended up eating one…I was so suprised and freaked out, I thought someone had slipped it into my food as a practical joke…I have never, ever eaten one again (and I love spicy food, but i have my pain limits)…
posted by donner on 12-11-2007 at 4:56 pm
Spicy hot chicken curry from my favorite restaurant always puts me in an awesome mood!!
posted by Leah on 12-11-2007 at 5:02 pm
Definitely dark chocolate. I never used to like it, but now that’s the only kind I like.
And, Dracena, “morbidly obese” is official medical terminology that designates a certain percentage (or more) above ideal body weight. Alas I cannot remember the specific number off the top of my head. I agree though, perhaps the AMA should think about applying it to smokers. If you’re a two pack a day-er, maybe you’re morbidly addicted to cigarettes.
posted by Lebetho on 12-11-2007 at 5:34 pm
I know it’s cliche but my mood food is definitely chocolate. It helps me make it through the day. I head to the candy stash at work everyday at about 4. I’m also a big tea lover but that’s more of a comfort thing than a mood thing. I drink too much caffeine to feel any of the stimulating effects of tea. It just makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside.
posted by Leah on 12-11-2007 at 7:28 pm
Don’t know if it’s the heat or the other spices, but after indulging in spicy curry dinners, hubby and I always end up in these expansive and often metaphysical high-minded conversations, with both of us floating along on an sensual, euphoric cloud of happy.
It’s like all of our senses, from the physical ones to spiritual consciousness and human connectedness, are turned up well past 11.
Weird, but reliable. And very much anticipated when we can afford to eat out. (I still haven’t managed to find a decent restaurant curry sauce recipe for DIY home enlightenment parties, more’s the pity.)
This effect probably explains a lot about the spiritual nature of the Indian culture. If I ate spicy curries every day, I’d have probably ascended by now.
posted by Soni on 12-11-2007 at 10:10 pm
For some reason, I’ve always found sour foods like citrus and sour candies made me feel better. WHenever I was depressed or hormonal, I’d suddenly crave sour candy. I actually used to eat those small 3 for a dollar lemons almost daily until it started to wear down my tooth enamel.
posted by heather on 12-11-2007 at 10:37 pm
An apple and water always seems to do the trick for me.
posted by Bridget on 12-12-2007 at 10:26 am
You are considered morbidly obese when your BMI (body mass index) is 40 or higher. BMI calculators are available at http://www.asmbs.org.
Milk is an oft overlooked mood food. The feeling of being full helps adults sleep as well as it does babies.
posted by Ben on 12-12-2007 at 11:05 am
CAJUN/CREOLE! Anytime I’m upset, or feel sick to my stomach (usually cuz I’m upset) I have to have a hefty amount of really spicy, burn-your-face-off food. The kind that makes your face sweat. That’s how you know it’s good.
posted by Heather on 12-12-2007 at 8:15 pm