It’s a scientific fact: What you eat has a measurable effect on your mental health. Studies have shown that eating healthy reduces your risk for mood swings, depression, and other mental health issues.
Check out these five healthy treats that boost your mood and suit the steamy weather.
Fruit Smoothie
A cold fruit smoothie isn’t just a refreshing treat for a sweaty summer day. A recent New Zealand study showed that consumption of certain fruits and vegetables correlated with distinctly lower levels of depression and anxiety compared to those who did not share the same eating habits.
Of the ten best raw eatables chosen, six of them were fruits: bananas, apples, grapefruit, citrus fruits, berries, and kiwi fruit. Whip them up with a little ice and protein powder for a perfect afternoon refresher.
A Plate Of Crudité
In the study mentioned above, raw vegetables and fruits had a stronger positive effect on mental health variables than vegetables and fruit that were processed, canned, or cooked. The authors speculated that cooking and processing methods might degrade the nutritional composition, limiting (but not eliminating) their beneficial effect.
Since eating your vegetables raw offers the greatest benefit, what could be better than a raw dark-leafy-green salad with a lemon vinaigrette, or a plate of cut carrots, cucumber, and sweet yellow peppers?
Go Nuts
You know that omega-3 oils are great for your heart, but did you know that they’re also associated with a lower risk of depression? With the blessing of doctors, some folks who suffer with depressive disorders take regular supplements of omega-3 as supplementary treatments.
Grab a handful of walnuts, hazelnuts, and cashews for a healthy dose of omega-3 oils and mineral nutrients.
Avocado Toast
Avocado toast may be the latest trendy snack, but this staple of urbane breakfasts also offers a powerful nutritional boost. Avocados and whole-grain bread are both rich in B-vitamins, like thiamine, which is a co-enzyme necessary in the synthesis of amino acids, basic building blocks for neurotransmitters. Some of those neurotransmitters, like dopamine and serotonin, are powerful mood regulators and the targets of many a mental-health prescription strategy.
Frozen Yogurt
Foods with active cultures, like yogurt, help balance the bacteria in your gut, but they also have a measurable effect on mental health. A 2017 study out of the University of Virginia revealed that a probiotic in yogurt has a positive effect on mood levels, lessening depression. The study even found a specific metabolic link between the presence of a certain bacteria, blood metabolic levels, and mood.
Now you can enjoy your frozen yogurt with a positive mental boost.