Feeling Down? Try One Of These 4 RD-Approved Recipes To Boost Your Mood (2024)

Recipes

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May 21, 2021

mbg Nutrition & Health Writer

By Eliza Sullivan

mbg Nutrition & Health Writer

Eliza Sullivan is a food writer and SEO editor at mindbodygreen. She writes about food, recipes, and nutrition—among other things. She studied journalism at Boston University.

Feeling Down? Try One Of These 4 RD-Approved Recipes To Boost Your Mood (3)

Image by Cameron Whitman / Stocksy

May 21, 2021

Taking care of our mental health is crucially important, and as with our physical health diet plays an important role in helping keep us in good spirits and keeping our brain healthy. In fact, a whole emerging field known as nutritional psychiatry aims to use dietary interventions to help with challenges like anxiety and depression.

But beyond full-scale uses of diet in psychiatry, there are some great healthy foods that are sure to help improve our mood when things feel low. These recipes were dreamed up by a team, registered dietitian Margie Saidel, MPH, R.D., and executive chef Peter Gilhooly (who work together at Chartwells K12), to boost your mood and fill your family's table with nutritious options.

Blueberries With Balsamic Vinegar & Thyme

Serves 4 to 6

"Blueberries are, of course, delicious on their own, either fresh in season or frozen all year round, which is perfect for such a small but powerful fruit," explains Saidel. "They are loaded with antioxidants such as vitamin C and a compound called anthocyanin, which gives them their dark blue color and many of their health benefits. They protect your brain in ways that can boost short-term memory, concentration, and focus."

Feeling Down? Try One Of These 4 RD-Approved Recipes To Boost Your Mood (4)

Image by Chef Peter Gilhooly

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. unsweetened frozen blueberries
  • 2½ tbsp. balsamic vinegar
  • 2½ tsp. fresh thyme, finely chopped

Method

  1. Thaw blueberries in refrigerator.
  2. To chop thyme, pull leaves from stems and cut fine.
  3. Put all ingredients in a bowl and mix to combine them. Serve and enjoy!

Beet, Apple & Carrot Salad

Serves 4 to 6

"Beets are gaining in popularity for their taste and nutritional benefits, including adding strength to your workout routine," says Saidel. "They contain natural nitrates from the soil where they are grown, which converts to a substance that increases blood flow and provides short bursts of strength," meaning you'll get a mood boost with (or without) that aforementioned workout. For a full plant-based meal, she recommends adding white beans for a bit of protein with the veggies.

Feeling Down? Try One Of These 4 RD-Approved Recipes To Boost Your Mood (5)

Image by Chef Peter Gilhooly

Ingredients

  • ¾ lb. carrot, matchstick cut
  • 6 oz. apple, matchstick cut
  • 6 oz. fresh beet, matchstick cut
  • 4 tbsp. neutral oil
  • 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp. orange juice
  • 1 tsp. lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp. honey
  • 1 tsp. ground ginger
  • 1½ tsp. mint, finely chopped
  • 1½ tsp. cilantro, finely chopped

Method

  1. Cut carrots, apple, and beets into matchsticks into a bowl.
  2. In a separate bowl, whisk together all remaining ingredients until well combined and pour over carrot, apple, and beets.
  3. Toss well. Serve and enjoy!

Kale Slaw With Jicama

Serves 4 to 6

"Known as a superfood, kale contains so many vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that it is well deserving of the title," shares Saidel. "We could also call it brain food because it contains vitamin B6, folate, and iron, which are all essential for the production of serotonin and dopamine, the feel-good hormones."

Feeling Down? Try One Of These 4 RD-Approved Recipes To Boost Your Mood (6)

Image by Chef Peter Gilhooly

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp. sesame seeds
  • 3 oz. baby kale
  • 3 oz. jicama, peeled and matchstick cut
  • 1 tbsp. lemon juice
  • ⅛ tsp. ground black pepper
  • 3 oz. mandarin orange sections
  • 1 tbsp. neutral oil
  • ⅛ tsp. kosher salt

Method

  1. Toast sesame seeds in the oven until golden brown and cool to room temperature.
  2. Place kale, jicama, and mandarin orange sections in a bowl.
  3. Add oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper and gently stir to coat all ingredients.
  4. Sprinkle top with toasted sesame seed. Serve and enjoy!

Citrus Chickpea Salad

Serves 4 to 6

This simple salad is also affordable to make: "Call them chickpeas or garbanzo beans; they've been enjoying a resurgence in popularity as a nutritious, tasty, and inexpensive source of magnesium, vitamin B6, and protein," says Saidel. "This small but mighty legume contains protein that supports the production of the feel-good hormones serotonin and dopamine and vitamin B6, which can help prevent anxiety."

Feeling Down? Try One Of These 4 RD-Approved Recipes To Boost Your Mood (7)

Image by Chef Peter Gilhooly

Ingredients

  • 1¼ cup chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 2 tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
  • ⅓ cup onion, diced
  • ⅓ cup celery, diced
  • 3 tbsp. red pepper, diced
  • 2 tbsp. green pepper, diced
  • ⅓ cup tomato, diced
  • ⅓ tsp. ground black pepper
  • 2 tsp. granulated garlic
  • 3½ tbsp. lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp. neutral oil
  • ⅓ tsp. ground oregano

Method

  1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Toss well to combine. Serve and enjoy!
  2. Great as a cold side salad but also a great accompaniment with tortilla chips or as a topping for your favorite grilled meat, fish, or poultry.
Feeling Down? Try One Of These 4 RD-Approved Recipes To Boost Your Mood (2024)

FAQs

Which foods boost your mood? ›

The researchers found that a higher total antioxidant intake was associated with a lower risk of depression. Foods rich in antioxidants include: nuts, such as pecans, walnuts, and pistachios. fruits, such as strawberries, plums, apples, and apricots.

What foods are good for happiness? ›

Fruit, veg and wholegrains

All vegetables and many fruits contain complex carbohydrates. These are important for stabilising your mood, as they release sugar into your body slowly. Other sources of complex carbs include wholemeal bread, brown rice, whole grain pasta, beans, pulses and oats.

How does food influence mood? ›

Food and your mood

Protein consumption (from foods like fish, beef, chicken, turkey, tofu, beans, eggs and unsweetened yogurt) has been linked to higher levels of dopamine and norepinephrine, which are brain chemicals that play a role in your mood, motivation and concentration.

How does food make you feel? ›

When eating “healthy” foods as opposed to unhealthy foods, your brain responds to the nutrients you're ingesting by releasing neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin, GABA, and more, all of which help with mood regulation, sleep aid, and reducing the physical reaction of anxiety.

What is a natural mood booster? ›

Be sure to eat a diet rich in whole grains, lean meats, vegetables, fruits, beans and nuts. Interacting with others can also help boost a person's mood.

What meal makes you happy? ›

Eggs. Choline found in eggs can help regulate mood and muscle movements and is associated with verbal and visual memory. Other foods that have choline include broccoli, cauliflower, chicken breast, dairy milk, green beans, mackerel, navy beans, pork chops, salmon, shrimp, and tuna.

What food makes your soul happy? ›

Since up to 90% of your body's serotonin is produced in your gut, a healthy gut may correspond to a good mood. Fermented foods like kimchi, yogurt, kefir, kombucha, and sauerkraut are rich in probiotics that support gut health.

What foods help you get feelings? ›

Fermented foods

Foods that go through a fermentation process like sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, kombucha and yogurt help you maintain a healthy gut and may also help improve your mood. The fermentation process creates probiotics, which in turn, support healthy bacteria in your gut.

What foods make you feel better mentally? ›

Foods that help decrease systemic inflammation in the body – such as turmeric, ginger, nuts, seeds, fatty fish, tomatoes, berries, green leafy vegetables and olive oil – can help you feel better physically and mentally.

What foods make you feel irritable? ›

Certain foods may contribute to feelings of irritability and anger. High-sugar snacks and processed foods can cause energy crashes, affecting mood. Excessive caffeine may lead to jitteriness and restlessness. Additionally, alcohol, when consumed in excess, can impact neurotransmitters, influencing emotions.

What foods are good for feeling low? ›

Grains. High-fiber whole grains like whole wheat pasta and bread, oatmeal and sweet potatoes help your body release serotonin.

What foods give you energy? ›

The best fuel for exercise is carbohydrates, preferably “complex” ones like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Healthy fats from fish, nuts, vegetable oils, and avocados can help fuel endurance sports like long-distance running.

What foods are good for mood and anxiety? ›

Research has linked foods like avocado, oranges, or oysters to reduced feelings of anxiety. Drinks like water and 100% fruit juice can also be beneficial if you have a lot of anxiety and stress. Those foods and drinks contain antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins that help alleviate anxiety symptoms.

What foods make you feel good mentally? ›

Foods that help decrease systemic inflammation in the body – such as turmeric, ginger, nuts, seeds, fatty fish, tomatoes, berries, green leafy vegetables and olive oil – can help you feel better physically and mentally.

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