Did you know that as well as affecting our physical health, the kinds of food we eat can also impact on our mood?
Research suggests that not only can the food you eat affect your mood, but your mood can influence your food choices.
Eating good promotes a healthy body and mind as the nutrients found in healthy foods seems to help the brain produce the “feel-good hormone” Serotonin, which has been linked to improving your mood. Whereas indulgent foods (foods high in sugar, fat, salt and caffeine) can result in guilt and a drop in mood.
How does you mood affect your food choices?
People in a negative frame of mind are more likely to seek comfort or indulgent foods. These kinds of food will boost your mood short term but while result in a crash in mood shortly afterwards. Eating like this can trigger bad eating habits so to combat negative thoughts it’s better to tackle the problems with other mood boosting activities. Exercise is a great way to improve your mood as it reduces anxiety and stress as well as making you feel physically more healthy. As well as doing things you enjoy even as simple as listening to music can positively affect your mood and will help with impulses to indulge with things such as food.
People in a more positive frame of mind are likely to choose healthier more balanced food which will have more nutrients, long term benefits and enable them to develop good eating habits.
However it’s not black and white. There are more complicated studies which show how different types of people can be affected and the several different ways this can manifest.