With the last few years being quite the whirlwind, I think we can all agree that we could use a little extra boost in the mood department.
One of the best ways to combat those frustrating bad moods, elevated stress levels, and anxious feelings is by targeting your gut health. Your gut contains 90% of our serotonin receptors which is essentially the “happy chemical.” So let’s dive right in and discover some of the best mood boosting delicious foods to help bring a little extra joy to your life!
1. Let’s start it off with the ultimate show stopper, dark chocolate.
Gone are the days of feeling guilty about eating chocolate and now we embark on opening a new sweet chapter! Dark chocolate that contains at least 72% cacao and less than 5g of sugar has the ability to have almost IMMEDIATE positive effects in lowering both stress and negative moods. So go grab that chocolate bar and dig in!
2. Next up are my personal favorites, citrus fruits!
This can be anything from oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruit, etc. Citrus fruits are known to be high in vitamin C which helps lower blood pressure and reduce cortisol levels which inhibits your stress levels, and let’s be honest, there’s nothing like a nice fresh glass of orange juice in the morning.
3. Time to get a salad ready because leafy greens are next.
More specifically spinach, kale, and swiss chard! 1-2 servings of any of these delicious leafy greens are high in both folic acid and magnesium which is proven to reduce depression symptoms and regulate pesky cortisol levels.
4. Anxiety levels have been high during these times, so to finish off our list let’s add one of the top natural anxiety fighters, berries!
Strawberries, blueberries, and acai berries are the top dogs when it comes to elevating our serotonin levels and reducing those terrible anxiety feelings, So toss those berries in a smoothie and feel that anxiety disappear with every sip!
Written by Sophia Johnson
