5 fruits that lift your mood and relieve stress — which of them are the most useful?

Many people have noticed that delicious food can improve mood. Indeed, there are food products, after eating which there is optimism and a desire to live.

Of course, in a sense, this is due to personal food preferences: someone likes chocolate and eats a slice to maintain emotional tone, while someone likes a large piece of meat, and only this food can make you feel the joy of life.

However Research proves that there is a clear connection between a person's daily diet and his psychoemotional state.

Scientists claim that there are a number of foods that are more likely to lift your mood, relieve stress, and even alleviate the symptoms of depression. First of all, this list contains fruits, which we will talk about in this article.

Let's say we considered earlier 7 fruits and vegetables that improve memory and attention .

Why does food affect mood?

It's not just that the pleasant sweet and sour taste and juicy flesh of a particular fruit are most often liked by people.

Brain-healthy foods contain substances that can affect the organs of internal secretion and help them produce other substances that have a hormone-like effect. These substances are primarily serotonin and endorphins.

There is another hormone &8212; dopamine. But it is produced mainly in other ways, it does not get through the digestive tract with food, but some foods, like drugs, can stimulate its production. Therefore, it will be about serotonin and endorphins.

Getting into the blood, these hormones enter the brain and activate the areas responsible for feeling joy and happiness there . That is why you can improve your mood not only, for example, by making a person laugh, but also by feeding him the right food.

One of their win-win options in this regard is fruits.

5 fruits containing &171;hormones of joy&187;

Many types of plant foods contain substances &8212; precursors of hormones of joy, as well as catalysts for the process of their synthesis.

By regularly introducing plant foods into the diet, you can not only noticeably improve your mood, but also relieve stress and even prevent depression. For example, serotonin is produced in the body due to selenium, folic acid, magnesium, calcium, vitamins E and B, tryptophan, as well as the hormones estrogen and insulin.

1. Bananas

Bananas are &8212; one of the most &171;joyful&187; products. But, contrary to popular belief, they do not improve mood at all due to the serotonin and dopamine contained in them.

Both substances are in bananas, but, firstly, dopamine, &8212; only in the peel. And serotonin, entering the bloodstream, does not reach the brain, but is destroyed in it: dopamine, even if the peel were edible, would be destroyed in the intestine, not being absorbed into the blood at all.

However, serotonin is synthesized in the brain when eating bananas , thanks to a whole complex of substances:

1. Magnesium;
2. Potassium;
3. Polypeptides;
4. Vitamin B6;
5. Fructose, etc.

The formation of serotonin in combination with the influx of energy received give a surge of strength and energy , cause a state of elation.

2. Orange

One of the most popular fruits. It improves mood not only with its useful composition, but even with its appearance alone. We can say that color therapy also plays a positive role here.

The advantage of an orange is that it contains:

1. Vitamins A, B, C, P;
2. Potassium and calcium;
3. Magnesium and iron;
4. Organic acids;
5. Pectins;
6. Antioxidants;
7. Flavonoids and phytoncides.

Orange protects the cells that are responsible for the production of hormones of joy . Also, the benefits of an orange lie in the essential oil, which Improves performance and improves the emotional background by affecting the olfactory receptors.

3. Plum

This juicy fruit is useful for the central nervous system in all its forms: both fresh and in the form of prunes. Its flesh is rich:

1. Zinc and copper;
2. Calcium and sodium;
3. With iodine and phosphorus;
4. Iron and potassium.

Plum also contains a lot of vitamins, monosaccharides, coumarins and pectins.

The whole complex has a beneficial effect on the gastrointestinal tract, and through this helps to eliminate depressive states , and also strengthens the nervous system as such, contributing to the alignment of the emotional background.

4. Pineapple

This is an exotic plant, unlike any other, including in composition. It contains:

1. Coarse dietary fiber;
2. Bromelain, which is found in ripe pineapples and helps protein digestion;
3. Sufficient amount of vitamin C; only 100 g of pineapple covers 80% of the daily value of ascorbic acid;
4. Manganese, calcium and other minerals;
5. Complex of vitamins and organic acids, etc.

Pineapple is very is favorable for brain activity overall. But most importantly, &8212; he promotes the active production of hormones of joy , relieves sadness and even depression.

Pineapple also has a positive effect on many body systems, eliminating a wide range of ailments: from skin diseases to diseases of the respiratory system, which is a favorable background for strengthening the nervous system.

5. Avocado

Avocado is a champion in the supply of nutrients that promote the synthesis of serotonin in the body. It contains the most important precursors and stimulants of the formation of the hormone of joy:

1. Vitamin B6;
2. Tryptophan;
3. Folic acid.

In combination with other useful substances, this fruit Struggles with sadness and depression , increases the concentration of hormones of joy in brain cells, as well as Improves memory and concentration .

5 more extremely useful products

In addition to fruits, there is a large amount of other food, on the basis of which you can make a daily menu that supports optimism and elation.

1. Sea fish and seafood. They contain omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids: they favor improvement of cerebral vessels , improve blood circulation of the brain. The basis for the formation of serotonin &8212; tryptophan &8212; is also abundant in marine products.
2. Cereals. Without carbohydrates, B vitamins, magnesium and zinc, the absorption of tryptophan is difficult. Therefore, cereals and whole-grain bread in the diet are also necessary for a good mood. It is recommended to use oatmeal and buckwheat. In addition, cereals, with the exception of corn, contain tryptophan itself.
3. Milk, cheese, yogurt and other dairy products. In addition to vitamins, minerals and proteins, dairy products contain tryptophan in abundance.
4. Chicken eggs. A large amount of vitamins, especially B groups, organic acids and tryptophan also make chicken eggs an anti-stress product.
5. Cocoa beans and derivatives: chocolate and cocoa. Vitamins, valuable minerals, as well as tryptophan make chocolate, cocoa and cocoa beans themselves not only a treat, but also a cure for depression. These products also act quickly due to the aroma of cocoa butter, which is good for lifting the mood. More detailed about the effect of chocolate on mood see in a separate article.

Also pay attention to the photo:

And what foods should not be consumed?

What should be avoided?

In addition to mood-boosting foods, there are those that can contribute to depression. There is a food that, by its properties, in every possible way interferes with the formation of serotonin and even blocks its synthesis.

1. White bread and white rice. The so-called fast carbohydrates dramatically increase blood glucose levels and have a positive effect on mood. But they very quickly lead to the opposite effect: digestion worsens, constipation occurs, which contribute to mental depression.
2. Alcohol and energy drinks, especially those that contain guarana. At first glance, these products quickly provide a quick and strong energy boost to lift your mood. Moreover, alcohol is also very high in calories: it really creates the illusion of an energy surge. But in fact, when using energy drinks and alcohol, the opposite result is obtained: the central nervous system is depleted and depressed. This leads to a stressful state, which can result in severe illnesses such as panic attacks or depression.
3. Confectionery products based on refined sugar . Sweets lead to a sharp and extremely short-term increase in the amount of serotonin. Then it also decreases sharply, to which the nervous system reacts violently with a deterioration in mood. More about that, how sweet affects the mood , we talked in a separate article.

Interesting video

And now we invite you to familiarize yourself with the video:

Fruits are essential for emotional tone every day. Thanks to them, you can forget about antidepressants of chemical origin and constantly stay in a good mood.