Surprising foods to boost your mood. 

You’ve heard the expression, “You are what you eat,” so have that burger and don't be a grouch.

Foods from peanut butter to salmon may help you blunt sadness, crankiness and even stress—and you don’t have to eat that much to enjoy the effects, nutritionists say.

Consider:

Down in the dumps? Enjoy some fish.

A diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids—a nutrient found in salmon and other fatty fish—may have the same blunting effect as anti-depressants. Your brain needs sufficient amounts of omega-3’s to perform at peak levels. In fact, people with high levels of omega-3’s are almost 60 percent less likely to suffer depression than other people, experts at Harvard Medical School say.

Another great mood-booster is peanut butter, which contains significant levels of folic acid. Research shows that the levels of folic acid are much lower in people with depression. 

What’s more,  the federal government’s National Institute of Aging says  women 60 and older whose diets contain 400 micrograms of folic acid a day enjoy a noticeably reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

Being a crank?

Feeling cranky? Bite into a burger. Red meat contains high levels of zinc, which evidence suggests can help regulate mood, appetite, and sleep levels. Of course, eating a ton of red meat could raise your risk for heart disease, cancer, weight gain, and other maladies.

Feeling super stressed? Crunch on some whole-grain cereal, which is loaded with anxiety-reducing selenium. Other great sources of selenium include tuna and Brazil nuts.

Also try this for a stress-buster: gazpacho. Eating two cups a day of this Mediterranean soup delivers more than 100 percent of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C, which health experts say can help you beat back stress.

Check these out!

•  Nubella's 6,000-plus Recipe Database and Healthy Cooking Center—find plenty of foods that may improve your moods.

•  Omega-3: A Way to Beat the Blues?

•  Food and Your Mood—from Nubella’s popular health, nutrition, and recipe e-newsletters

•  Rethinking Comfort Food: Healthy Choices to Help Manage Stress-—from Nubella’s popular health, nutrition, and recipe e-newsletters.

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Nubella News, a division of Marketing Technology Solutions, Inc., offers content intended for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We encourage our readers to seek prompt medical care for health issues and consult their physicians before starting a new diet, fitness regimen, or medical treatment.