Foods don’t just affect your calorie intake and weight. They have significant impacts on your emotions and feelings too. Hence, it won’t be wrong to say that what you eat directly affects you not just physically but psychologically as well.
You might just be having a snack, apparently very nutritious. But, it may contain certain additives that might be endangering your health. The outcome will be you feeling fatigued, anxious, or even depressed. Therefore, you must be well aware of your intake for making sure they do not adversely affect your emotions. The nutrition manufacturer nowadays are finding better ways to avoid these additives because of consumer demand.
- Sugar
Sugar can be found in nearly every manufactured and packed edible, be it various sauces, chips, energy bars, cereals, or even fruit juices. Also, the ingredients don’t necessarily need to mention sugar for you to recognize it.
Some other, more widely used synonyms for it include corn syrup, lactose, sucrose, dextrose, and fructose. They may be different words, but all are forms of sugar. They hold high potentials in killing your mood, making you very depressed, as well as causing numerous health issues like obesity, thyroid problems, and diabetes, etc.
A healthy suggestion:
If sugar is the primary ingredient in any concoction, try to avoid it. Rather, eat a sweet fruit instead. Or if you’re having intense cravings for sweets, go for a more nutritious type of your most desired sweet dish.
- FD & C Red No. 40
FD & C Red NO.40 is a very extensively used food dye and often goes by the name of Allura Red AC. This is used to increase the visual appeal of the food and boost its flavor. You can be sure to find this food dye in every edible, from frostings and chips to energy drinks and fruit-based treats.
But, let not the vibrancy or addicting taste deceive you. FD & C Red No. 4 is connected to ADHD as well as raising the hypersensitivity in children and adults both!
A healthy suggestion:
Try avoiding vibrant red-colored edibles as much as you can. Also, make sure even your most loved additive-free treats are free from this dangerous food-dye.
- White flour
It’s exactly how the phrase goes, ‘the whiter the bread, the sooner you’re dead.’ Yes, white flour isn’t precisely hazardous for you. But the fact that it isn’t healthy for your body isn’t breaking news either. White flour has empty calories with a high glucose level. This means that no matter how much you eat it, you’ll still be left feeling emotionally distressed, starved, and irritable.
The issue is that you can find this white powder in most of your everyday food intake. White flour is added to an extensive range of dressings and soups to make them more condense.
A healthy suggestion:
Prevent having even a single bite of white flour. Instead, opt for 100% whole grain or even gluten-free choices.
- Aspartame
Don’t be too happy to see and use ‘sugar-free- concoctions. There is a high probability that those items have Aspartame- an artificial sweetener. Avoiding sugar in your diet doesn’t matter if you ultimately do get your intake of this harmful chemical.
Aspartame is observed as being connected to headaches, seizures, emotional mood swings, and even digestion problems.
A healthy suggestion:
Opt for using 100 percent raw cane sugar, raw honey, or even coconut sugar to add some sweetness. Avoid sugar-free to the maximum because it most probably refers to the presence of aspartame.
- FD & C Yellow No. 5
Human bodies are not made to process and digest chemicals. The same is the case for FD & C Yellow No. 5. This is an artificial yellow dye, commonly called Tartrazine. It’s generally used for cookies, soft drinks, and candies. A very popular food color and taste booster, Tartrazine is immensely dangerous for your health.
The chemical is found to be connected to various allergies, emotional dysfunctions, and asthma.
A healthy suggestion:
To be honest, the best advice is to stay away from all bright-colored edibles. Be cautious when having treats or food that looks very vibrant and eye-catchy because chances are, they will have food dye chemicals in them.
- Monosodium glutamate
Monosodium glutamate is commonly termed as MSG. It’s usually used to make manufactured edibles for enhancing flavors and prolonging their shelf lives. Numerous items, including soups and frozen meals, have MSG in them. An intake of MSG has the potential of causing weakness, lightheadedness, queasiness, and anxiety.
A healthy suggestion:
Research about the food you’re buying. Buy organic food or the ones classified with being ‘MSG-Free’ because FDA does not entail MSG to being categorized to be an ingredient.
- Hydrogenated oils
Hydrogenated oils are used for prolonging the shelf lives of their items. These oils create trans fat in food too. Trans fat is concluded as being hazardous for hearts, being the driver of high cholesterol levels as well as obesity. It’s also tough to be digested and results in causing brain fogs as well as extreme mood swings.
A healthy suggestion:
Steer clear of hydrogenated oils by buying products with short expiries- that expire within a week or two at max. Furthermore, try healthier alternatives like coconut and extra-virgin olive oils.
5 Ways to Improve Your Mood with Food
Indulging in treats is common for most people when they feel stress or agitated. If you’re one of them, then you must be aware of how exceptionally blissful this can be. However, sooner or later, the results start to surface in the form of high sugar levels and immense moodiness.
That being said, not every food ends up with such adverse outcomes. There are numerous edibles that not only revitalize you but improve your healthiness too. Here are just a few of the nutrition manufacturers and eating habits that have the potential of boosting your moods.
- Stock up on leafy green vegetables
Greens are essential sources of Vitamin B, and it is no discovery of just how vital Vitamin B is for your physical and mental wellbeing. Spinach and other various green vegetables have B vitamin folate in them.
According to the studies being conducted, low folate levels in your body can eventually result in depression or emotional disorders. Hence, more consumption of vegetables can reduce the chances of mental health deterioration.
Some of the folate enriched vegetables are:
- Spinach
- Lentils
- Broccoli
- Artichokes
- Turnip greens
- Avocado
- Pump up your probiotics
Probiotics are famous for boosting your digestive systems. In addition to this, they contribute to curing your depression and anxiety too.
You can raise your intake of probiotics through having food like:
- Yogurt
- Buttermilk
- Korean Kimchi
- Miso
- Pickled Vegetables
- Tempeh
- Eat Foods Rich in Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Studies being conducted conclude that omega-3 fatty acids might contribute to your brain performance, while a deficiency of this might even cause emotional health issues. Omega-3 fatty acid-enriched food includes oily fish like salmon, sardine, etc.
For boosting omega-3 fatty acid level in your body, you can have food, including:
- Mackerel
- Walnuts
- Flax and Chia seeds
- Food cooked in canola oil
- Wild Alaskan salmon
However, before that, it’s highly recommended you visit your doctor in case of being pregnant, are nursing, take prescriptions, or have any other query.
- Add vitamin D to your diet
Vitamine D – the sunshine vitamin- is produced when your skin is exposed to sun rays. Also, vitamin D has been linked to increased serotonin levels in your body, a significant component that influences your moods.
Furthermore, vitamin D deficiency in older adults may even be one of the drivers of anxiety and unhappiness in them.
You can boost the vitamin D level in your body by consuming:
- Cheese
- Egg yolks
- Vitamin D-fortified edibles including soy milk and orange juice
- Get plenty of fresh fruits
Fruits are ideal healthy nutrition manufacturers. They’re rich with vitamins, minerals, fiber, iron, and even carbohydrates. The carbohydrates assist in improving your emotions as well as helping you sleep. This is one of the reasons fruits are connected to helping cure insomnia, depression, and anxiety.
Some of the healthiest fruits you can have to improve your moods are:
- Berries
- Oranges
- Bananas
- Guava
- Grapefruit
Final Thoughts
With time, even the barest alterations in your diet can have significant improvements in your bodily and emotional stability. While some food is disastrous for your body, numerous others prove to be primarily advantageous for your physical and mental health. All you need to do is be aware of what you must eat and what to avoid.
