5 foods to boost your serotonin levels and feel happier
Serotonin is one of those tricky little chemicals inside your body that does all kinds of things for you while you go about your daily life. Serotonin is found mainly in the brain, bowels, and blood platelets, and the roles it plays are diverse and fascinating. For example, in your bowels, it helps to control your bowel movements and function, while in your brain, serotonin is considered something of a natural mood stabiliser.
Serotonin (or, for those of you with a penchant for hard core science terms, 5-hydroxytryptamine) is believed to regulate levels of anxiety, happiness, and mood, with low levels associated with depression. Your body creates serotonin for you by using the amino acid tryptophan, which is found in many common dietary elements. So, if you’re feeling somewhat down, and want to cheer yourself up, you could always try boosting your body’s serotonin levels with your next meal.
We’ve put together a list of serotonin-boosting foods to enhance your mood. It’s important to remember, though, that eating carbohydrates is an important part of this equation. Carbs increase insulin levels, which helps your cells absorb amino acids, but leaves the tryptophan to (hopefully) move from your blood to your brain.
1. Dark chocolate
Chocolate containing 85 per cent cocoa has 2.9 micrograms of serotonin per gram, while chocolate boasting 70 to 84 per cent cocoa has high levels of L-tryptophan. If you can manage it, around 30 grams per day is a healthy amount of dark chocolate to consume.
2. Salmon
This popular fish is high in tryptophan levels, so by eating it, you’re giving your body the building blocks to create more serotonin. Plus, salmon is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids. Bonus!
3. Eggs
Eggs contain a protein that helps boost the levels of tryptophan in your blood plasma. If you can, leave the yolks in – they are rich in tryptophan, as well as other goodness your body loves, such as omega-3 fatty acids, biotin, and more.
4. Aw, nuts!
Picture your favourite nut. Got it? Yes! That’s the one! It has tryptophan. Ask the person next to you to picture their favourite nut as well – tell them that it contains tryptophan, too. What I’m getting at is that all nuts contain this essential serotonin ingredient.
5. Say cheese
If it’s cocktail hour, combine a handful of nuts with some cheese and crackers for a tryptophan boost.
What’s a food that always puts you in a good mood? Let us know in the comments!