The 15 foods that increase your happiness

There are streaks in which life becomes a ball and being happy is a somewhat tedious task. It happens to all of us, and in the lowest moments putting everything in your hand to feel better is essential to get out of the hole. We are not talking about eating emotionally, nothing fills a void in the heart, and doing it with food is a mistake. But encouraging you with textures, colors, temperatures, and nutritional substances that have a positive effect on your brain is a card in your favor.

But what to eat to secrete hormones of happiness? Chef Jozef Youssef, Associate Editor of the International Magazine of Gastronomy and Food Science together with Uber Eats, indicates that eating foods rich in Omega 3 such as salmon and mackerel, or tofu and walnuts not only directly benefits the brain but also which have also been linked to reduced depression.

Blackberries, grapes, blueberries, oranges, elderberry, and some vegetables, such as eggplant and avocado, olives, red onion, fig, sweet potato, mango, and purple corn. These ingredients are rich in anthocyanins, antioxidants that help prevent and repair oxidative stress.

Prebiotic foods such as asparagus, Jerusalem artichokes, bananas, oats, unrefined wheat, chicory root, or legumes support gut bacteria and their functions, which are also linked to reduced depression.

Probiotic foods, which are rich in gut bacteria, are also a great addition to your diet. They contain lactic acid bacteria and enzymes that help digest food, which in turn can reduce mood disorders, including depression. Some examples of "probiotic foods" are yogurt, kefir, miso, soy sauce, sauerkraut, and pickles.

Improve your mood with foods rich in tryptophan such as chocolate, oatmeal, dried dates, milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, red meat, eggs, fish, chicken, sesame, chickpeas, almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, buckwheat, spirulina, and peanuts.

Serotonin is also known as the "happy" neurotransmitter. Complex carbohydrates are the best way to incorporate serotonin-producing foods into your diet without causing major spikes in blood sugar. Good examples include green vegetables, whole grains, foods made from them, such as oatmeal, whole-grain pasta, and bread, and starchy vegetables such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn and squash, beans, lentils, or peas.

Jozef Youssef comments: "There is a clear scientific link between the food we eat and our state of mind. It is commonly said that variety is the spice of life, so having a rich and varied diet helps us to keep our minds and a happy body.

1. Sweet potato

It is vibrant in both color and flavor, and it is a delicious complex starch, beneficial for the production of serotonin, also known as the neurotransmitter of happiness.

You can prepare it in many ways, both baked with fish or chicken, or split as potatoes to have many more benefits than with them. It has a sweet touch that will trick the brain and on the other hand, it will give you that dose of complex carbohydrates. Try not to fry it so as not to add extra fat and opt for other healthier options such as oven or cooking.

2. Salmon

This food is highly appreciated for its texture and buttery sensation, it is rich in omega-3 fatty acids that benefit the brain. They will help the brain connection, the heart, and the health of the arteries and it has many ways to eat them.

Smoked meat usually contains more salt, so spice it well with some aromatic herbs and vegetables. You don't need more to make a rich, complete, and easy dish.

3. kale

It's crisp and earthy, kale is another complex starch that's also good for serotonin production. Do you know how delicious it is? Sautéed with a little garlic, it is the perfect side dish. It is considered one of the "superfoods", and it is not very common, but now it is easy to find in any supermarket.

4. Banana

Bananas are rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and prebiotic foods that help with digestion, and this affects your mood!

The better it feels to your stomach and also nourishes you, much better. You can incorporate it into breakfast with a bowl of yogurt, nuts... Or even make complete shakes, as a snack after exercise, etc. You will not complain, the options are endless with this fruit.

5. Blueberries

These little berries contain special antioxidants called flavonoid carotenoids and other antioxidant compounds like vitamins A, C, and E, selenium, zinc, and phosphorus. All of them make you feel good and with a delicious taste, it has just the right touch of sweetness to prevent you from snacking on other unhealthy snacks.

Mix them with yogurt and make your own summer ice creams, they are fresh and give you much more than a simple sugary popsicle.

6. Red meat

Stop demonizing it, a moderate consumption of it can give you many good things, such as a good source of tryptophan, which is essential in the production of serotonin and provides a series of essential nutrients, such as protein, zinc, and vitamin B12.

Shapes? All the while, try to cut fat mass to just eat pure protein.

7. Mango

Soft to the touch and with a heady sweet aroma, mangoes are packed with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. It can be eaten as a fruit alone in its most mature version, but give the juice with a lot of pulp a chance. There can be no sweeter and more appetizing thing now that the good weather is coming.

8. Chocolate

A prebiotic and antioxidant treatment known to bring a smile to most people's faces.

The best way to take it is the purest, free of sugar, or at least added sugars with fair milk. Nutritionists recommend a daily ounce of dark chocolate from 70-75%

9. Walnuts

Concurrently shaped like a brain, walnuts are known to be largely salutary. Not only are they packed with antioxidants, but they also contain several other neuroprotective compounds, including vitamin E, folate, melatonin, and omega-3 fats.

Who doesn't love a nut? Well, less if you are allergic to them, of course.

10. Kimchi

It is also known as sauerkraut and is fiery in both flavor and color. Kimchi is a prebiotic food, and the lactic acid bacteria formed during its fermentation can also help the body break down pesticides.

11. Foods rich in vitamin B12

As a whole, the B vitamins are great contributors to improving mood, however, vitamin B12 stands out by fulfilling the following functions:

• Increase energy.

• Reduces fatigue and tiredness.

• Regulates the nervous system.

• Increases physical, emotional, and mental energy.

• Stimulates mental serenity.

The following foods, in addition to having a high content of vitamin B12, are a source of zinc, iron, and copper, elements that also influence good humor.

• Clams and oysters.

• Beef.

• Liver.

• Cheese.

• Egg.

12. Cherries

Apart from being a serotonin activator, the cherry produces endorphins, dopamine, and norepinephrine in the body. These rudiments reduce perversity, ameliorate sleep, and increase pain forbearance situations. In other words, they help us to be happier!

 13. Pineapple

Pineapple works as a stimulant for physical and emotional well-being, as it contains compounds that stimulate the production of serotonin. It is useful to improve concentration and eliminate insomnia, apart from serving as an anti-inflammatory.

14. Foods rich in zinc

The deficiency of this mineral can drive depression and low-stress tolerance. Foods that contain zinc help to assimilate proteins and carbohydrates, as well as being a promoter of energy in the body.

Some of the foods that contain this mineral are the following:

• Chocolate.

• Peanut.

• Pumpkin and its seeds.

• Liver.

• Spinach.

• Mushroom.

• Milk and its derivatives.

• Whole-grain whole grains.

• Vegetables.

15. Pasta

Carbohydrate-rich foods help balance mood, and pasta is a representative of this group. It allows good digestion, provides nutritional benefits and helps physical performance.

Pasta also lowers cholesterol levels, provides a good amount of fiber to the body, and helps regulate blood sugar levels.

OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS...

• Stay away from fried, just make sure it's sweet: most people go for fast food to cheer them up, but it also leaves them lazy. Sweet potato fries are eaten as usual but are beneficial for the production of serotonin. Comfort food with a touch of happiness.

• Complex carbohydrates: complex carbohydrates are the best way to incorporate serotonin-producing foods into your diet without increasing blood pressure. You no longer have to feel guilty about eating potatoes, bread, and pasta.

• A rainbow of possibilities: the color, and therefore the appearance of our food, can have a strong effect on our mood. Green food calms us while yellow food is associated with happiness.

• Be a softie: looking for comfort food? Stay away from crunchy snacks: There is a link between comfort food and smooth textures.

• Chew all day: Although not comforting, crunchy and chewy foods are associated with relieving stress. Bad day? Eat it with a little jerky!