How food can affect your mood
Did you know that your food choices can affect the way you feel? Energy slumps, feeling low and difficulty sleeping can all be the result of poor food choices.
Improving your diet may help to:
Improve your mood
Give you more energy
Help you think more clearly.
Here are our tops tips to boost your mood through food!
Choose the right carbohydrates
Our brain runs primarily on glucose which we get from eating carbohydrate rich foods. Severely restricting carbohydrates can make you feel grumpy and tired as the brain is no longer getting an adequate glucose supply.
Better carbohydrate choices for sustained energy release:
Fruit
Wholegrains like grainy bread, brown rice and oats
Sweet potato
Milk and yoghurt
Avoid these refined carbohydrates as they raise sugar levels too quickly:
Soft drink
Juice
Snack foods like biscuits and chips
Lollies and chocolate
White bread
Timing is important
When you eat can have an effect on your mood:
Going long periods of time without eating can cause a drop in blood sugar levels, leading to feeling tired and irritable.
Overeating to the point of feeling uncomfortable can make you feel tired and lethargic.
Eating moderate sized meals on a consistent schedule will help maintain steady blood sugar levels and result in an even mood.
Fact sheet: How food can affect your mood
Source: https://nutritionaustralia.org
