On a cold winter evening chilling out at home, netflix series queing up, I want comfort food. Not out of feeling blue, but something that will be fun to eat. As a kid it use to be a pint of Ben and Jerry’s heath bar crunch or fresh baked (toll house!) cookies. Now, my tastes have refined and I know better. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoy real authentic gelato or fresh homemade cookies. But, real comfort food comes from a healthier place. Studies have shown that people who eat nuts, fruit, vegetables and fish have a significantly lower incidence of depression than those who eat sweets or processed foods.
Here are just a few of foods that are good for you and make you feel happy:
DARK CHOCOLATE- chocolate’s delicious taste isn’t the only reason it makes you feel so warm and fuzzy. The cocoa treat also gives you an instant boost in mood and concentration, and improves blood flow to your brain, helping you feel more vibrant and energized. But sorry, Snickers bars don’t count. Cocoa is the chocolate ingredient that does your body good, so pure dark chocolate is your best bet if you want the mood-boosting benefits minus the extra belly flab.But, don’t overdo it, just a few ounces of dark chocolate a day is all you need to reap the benefits.
GREEK YOGURT- greek yogurt is packed with more calcium than you’ll find in milk or regular yogurt, which is good news for your mood. The calcium gives your body the “Go!” command, alerting your brain to release feel-good neurotransmitters. Greek yogurt also contains more protein than regular yogurt, making it a terrific stay-slim snack.
HONEY- unlike table sugar, honey is packed with beneficial compounds like quercetin and kaempferol that reduce inflammation, keeping your brain healthy and happy. Honey also has a less dramatic impact on your blood-sugar levels than regular sugar, so it won’t send your body into fat-storage mode the way the white stuff can. Try adding some honey to your afternoon tea or morning bowl of oatmeal, but don’t go overboard- too much honey can make you heavy, rather than happy.
EGGS- loaded with mood-promoting omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, B vitamins, and iodide, and because they’re packed with protein, they’ll also keep you full and energized long after you eat them.
BERRIES- dark colored berries (think blueberries, blackberries) lead to weight loss, decreasing the formation of fat cells by up to 73%—that alone will improve your mood. But berries also carry heavy doses of vitamin C which will also make you smile!
For more ideas about foods to eat to help you radiate, contact me at rachel@livehealthynyc.