Foods To Keep In Your Kitchen For MOOD

Here’s the 5th WOW in the series called:

“Foods To Keep In Your Kitchen For…”

Week 1: Foods for digestion.
Week 2: Foods for sleep. 😴
Week 3: Foods for energy.
Week 4: Foods for immunity.
This week: Foods for MOOD.
Here are 4 foods I keep in my kitchen for a better MOOD…

1. DARK CHOCOLATE
The cocoa flavonoids in dark chocolate can reduce levels of stress hormones. One study found that eating an ounce and a half of dark chocolate daily for two weeks reduced feelings of stress.

Pro-tips: Enjoy a piece of at least 70% dark chocolate 🍫 w/ mint tea as an after dinner treat. Or mix unsweetened cocoa powder into plain 2% Greek yogurt as a dip for berries.🍓

2. TURMERIC
Turmeric may act as a naturalantidepressant thanks to an active compound called curcumin. Curcumin helps increase levels of serotonin, a happy hormone. Pro-tips: Always add a pinch of black pepper when using turmeric to increase its absorption by 2000%. Enjoy a golden milk latte as a comforting bedtime ritual. And use golden milk as a base for oatmeal, smoothies, or chia pudding.💫

3. FRUITS & VEGGIES
One study found eating more fruits & vegetables boosted overall mental well-being, with the magic number for happiness being 7 cups/day.

I spoke with one of the authors of the study, Andrew Oswald, and he said there’s improvement in well-being even at lower amounts, but best results happen with7 cups of produce per day.

Pro-tips: Aim to eat produce at every meal… by being LAZY! 😜 Get my favorite 5 LAZY VEGGIE ideas HERE.

4. FATTY FISH
Foods high in inflammation fighting omega 3 fatty acids [think fatty fish 🐟 like salmon, sardines, and tuna] may help reduce .

Pro-tips: Make a no-cook salmon kale caesar wrap or try this Instagram famous tuna salad for lunch.

💓Valentine’s Day Bonus💓
Looking for a healthy Valentine’s Day inspired breakfast? I got you. Try Heart Beet Pancakes. Recipe >> HERE<<

Originally published at https://www.dawnjacksonblatner.com on February 10, 2020.