{"id":310412,"date":"2026-03-03T04:32:13","date_gmt":"2026-03-03T04:32:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/310412\/"},"modified":"2026-03-03T04:32:13","modified_gmt":"2026-03-03T04:32:13","slug":"what-to-eat-to-boost-your-mood","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/310412\/","title":{"rendered":"what to eat to boost your mood"},"content":{"rendered":"

The recent grim weather has tested even those with the most positive outlook, but could the solution be found in your diet? Professor Aed\u00edn Cassidy, a researcher at the Co-Centre for Sustainable Food Systems and the Institute for Global Food Security at Queen\u2019s University Belfast, says that eating more of some foods (and less of others) can produce higher levels of happiness and optimism.<\/p>\n

In one of the largest-scale studies of its kind, Cassidy and her colleagues worked alongside researchers from the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health to find out whether consuming a diet rich in flavonoids \u2014 naturally occurring compounds found in a variety of plant foods \u2014 can boost the mood. <\/p>\n

Flavonoids, a sub-group of polyphenol plant compounds, cross the brain barrier and affect neurotransmitters and vasodilatory processes, potentially improving a range of cognitive outcomes. Not all plant foods contain them, but they are present in berries, grapes, tea and dark chocolate.<\/p>\n

\u2022 The nutrient you didn\u2019t know you needed, and how to eat more of it<\/a><\/p>\n

Previous studies have shown that a high flavonoid intake is linked to living longer and being less likely to get chronic diseases such as dementia, diabetes or heart disease. Now mood improvement can be added to that list. \u201cOurs is the first large study to highlight the positive connection between what we eat and our long-term happiness,\u201d says Dr Alysha Thompson, a colleague of Cassidy\u2019s at Queen\u2019s, and co-author of the paper. \u201cIt also points to a positive cycle, in that eating well can boost happiness, and feeling happier may encourage healthier dietary habits.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Chocolate<\/p>\n

Dark chocolate contains flavonoids, which can improve a range of cognitive outcomes<\/p>\n

GETTY IMAGES<\/p>\n

From data on more than 40,000 women over 18 years, the team tracked whether flavonoid intake had an impact on long-term psychological wellbeing. Results in Clinical Nutrition showed that those who consumed about three servings a day of flavonoid-rich blueberries, strawberries, apples or citrus fruits displayed a 3-16 per cent sustained boost to mood and outlook. <\/p>\n

In other words, they were consistently happier and more optimistic than those with low intakes. \u201cThere\u2019s a definite dose response,\u201d Thompson says. \u201cThe more we eat of these flavonoid-rich foods, the better for our optimism.\u201d<\/p>\n

Where to start for a mood boost? We ask the experts for their top tips on a happy dietGet a variety of flavonoids for the biggest mood boost<\/p>\n

Diversity of flavonoids is key to a sustained good mood. \u201cThere are lots of different types of flavonoids<\/a>, including the anthocyanins in berries, grapes and aubergines, flavan-3-ols in tea and apples, flavonols in broccoli and kale,\u201d Cassidy says. \u201cSome of them are good for blood pressure, others for lipid profile, others for the brain, so the more diversity of them in your diet over time the better it will be for your health and mental wellbeing.\u201d <\/p>\n

A similar conclusion was reached in a recent review by psychologists at the University of Reading that showed a positive link with mood and mental health over time, with foods including cocoa, berries, cherries, peppermint, walnuts and green tea on the list of happiness-inducing ingredients. \u201cThe flavanols in these foods help to improve cerebral blood flow,\u201d says Dr Katie Barfoot, a lecturer in the School of Psychology and co-author of that paper. \u201cSometimes there is an immediate response with people feeling more positive within two hours of consuming these foods, but there is also a longer-term benefit to mood.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2022 Read more expert advice on healthy living, fitness and wellbeing<\/a><\/p>\n

A morning coffee (or tea) might make you happier<\/p>\n

Scientists recently confirmed that a cup of coffee or tea consumed during the first 2.5 hours of the day will improve your outlook more than drinking it later on. Researchers from the University of Warwick and Bielefeld University in Germany checked mood responses from 28,000 reports completed by more than 200 adults over four weeks. After a morning coffee or tea, people reported an immediate spike in positive emotions. Coffee contains polyphenols and tea contains flavonoids, although the caffeine in the drinks also plays a part in mood enhancement. <\/p>\n

\u201cCaffeine works by blocking adenosine receptors<\/a>, which can increase dopamine activity in key brain regions \u2014 an effect that studies have linked to improved mood and greater alertness,\u201d says Anu Realo, professor in the department of psychology at Warwick. The effects could be down to a reduction in caffeine withdrawal symptoms after a night\u2019s sleep, Realo says, but that morning coffee works wonders.<\/p>\n

Eat raw carrots, spinach and berries to boost mental health\"A<\/p>\n

Eating fruit in its \u201cunmodified\u201d state is associated with better mental health<\/p>\n

GETTY IMAGES<\/p>\n

The greater variety of fruit and veg you eat, the better for your brain and mood. But try to make sure you crunch on some served raw each week. Dr Tamlin Conner, a psychologist at the University of Otago, reported in Frontiers, a psychology journal, that how food is prepared and consumed is an important consideration for mood. Her study of 400 adults suggested that fruit and veg eaten in their \u201cunmodified\u201d state are more strongly associated with better mental health than cooked, canned or processed produce. <\/p>\n

Conner suggested that is probably because levels of important brain nutrients are lower if a vegetable or fruit has been cooked or processed in any way. Her top ten foods to eat raw for better mental health? Carrots, dark leafy greens, fresh berries, grapefruit, lettuce, citrus fruits, cucumber, kiwi fruit, bananas and apples.<\/p>\n

Have a glass of purple grape or orange juice for an instant pick-me-up<\/p>\n

If you need an instant mood boost, then a shot of flavanol-rich fruit juice might do the trick. A few years ago Daniel Lamport, associate professor in the school of psychology at the University of Reading, tested the effects of a glass of orange juice or a placebo drink on the moods of a group of middle-aged men. Results showed the drink boosted mental alertness. <\/p>\n

\u201cThere are some short-term improvements to aspects of mood with flavonoid and polyphenol consumption from certain fruit juices,\u201d Lamport says. \u201cIt\u2019s to do with the mechanisms of increased blood flow to the brain.\u201d For these benefits, it needs to be a juice that contains as much of the original fruit as possible. \u201cThe whole fruit should be juiced as with oranges, for example, the pithy bits on the outside of the flesh are where a lot of the flavonoids are present,\u201d Lamport says. \u201cIt\u2019s the whole fruit that has the psychological benefits.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2022 Why fibre matters \u2014 and how to eat enough of it<\/a><\/p>\n

Add egg yolks, chicken and shiitake mushrooms to reduce anxiety levels\"Shiitake<\/p>\n

Shiitake mushrooms contain choline which is necessary for healthy brain development<\/p>\n

GETTY IMAGES<\/p>\n

Low dietary levels of choline, a nutrient needed for healthy brain development and muscle control, could be a biochemical driver for anxiety in some people, according to a study published by researchers from the University of California Davis (UCD) last year. <\/p>\n

Although our livers can make small amounts of choline, it\u2019s not enough to keep us healthy and we need a supply from foods including egg yolks, chicken, cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower, broccoli and shiitake mushrooms. The UCD team discovered that people prone to anxiety disorders tend to have reduced levels of choline in their brains. And levels were lowest in the prefrontal cortex, a part of the brain involved thinking and emotional regulation. <\/p>\n

\u201cSomeone with an anxiety disorder might want to look at their diet and see whether they are getting the recommended daily amount of choline,\u201d said Richard Maddock, a psychiatrist and research professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences and lead author of the paper.<\/p>\n

Avoid too many crisps, biscuits and takeaways<\/p>\n

The more ultra-processed foods (UPF) you eat, the lower the levels of vitamins and minerals in your diet \u2014 including the B vitamins, C, D, E, copper, iron, phosphorus, magnesium, selenium and zinc. And when your brain doesn\u2019t get the nutrients it needs, your mood will suffer. <\/p>\n

A study of 26,000 adults by a team of French researchers found a strong link between UPF consumption and rates of depression, and there were similar findings from a study of middle-aged university graduates. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The recent grim weather has tested even those with the most positive outlook, but could the solution be…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":310413,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[134,111,139,556,69],"class_list":["post-310412","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nutrition","tag-health","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nutrition","tag-nz"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/310412","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=310412"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/310412\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/310413"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=310412"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=310412"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=310412"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}