Can Food Affect your mood?

Our Mytime Active nutrition experts understand the vital role food plays when it comes to our health. According to Mind, the mental health charity, “as well as affecting our physical health, what we eat may also affect the way we feel.”

The connection between food and mood is well researched, so making changes to your diet can help you to improve your mood, give you more energy and help you to think more clearly.

We have listed a few ways that food can boost your mood, by making a few simple diet changes:

• Eat regularly to manage your blood sugar
  Leaving long gaps between eating will cause your blood sugar to drop. When this happens, you are much more likely to feel tired and irritable. We’ve all heard the term ‘hangry’! By eating at regular intervals and choosing mood boosting foods that release energy slowly, you will be able to manage your blood sugar levels.
• Choose ‘slow-release’ energy foods
  Protein releases energy more slowly, so it’s important to add a good level into your diet. Asides from meat, fish and dairy, protein can also be found in nuts, seeds, oats and wholegrains. Protein contains amino acids, which help to regulate brain chemicals associated with thoughts and feelings.
• Look after your gut and it will look after you!
  An increasing number of studies show that good gut health has a direct effect on how you feel emotionally. When you’re stressed, you may suffer from digestive problems caused by your gut slowing down or speeding up as a response to your anxious feelings. Eating lots of vegetables, fruit, beans, wholegrains, pulses and live yoghurt will help to keep your gut healthy, which will help to manage your mood.
• Eat healthy fats instead of bad fats
  The idea of eating fat is commonly misunderstood. A lack of fatty acids in your diet has a direct impact on your brain health, so eat plenty of the right kinds of fat. Healthy fats contain essential Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, which can be found in oily fish, poultry, nuts, seeds, avocados, eggs, milk and cheese. Trans fats and hydrogenated oils are the ones to avoid. Often found in cakes and biscuits, these types of fat may seem tempting but, in the long run, they will have a negative effect on your mood and your physical health.

At Mytime Active, we are committed to promoting healthy lifestyles, which includes what you eat. Our cafes and restaurants offer a range of healthy options to help you manage your diet. Why not pop down after a workout and enjoy with family and friends?