I’ll put my hands up: I am the definition of an emotional eater. Turn to the page ‘emotional eater’ in the dictionary and there I am, ladling spaghetti carbonara post-breakup, avoiding a deadline with a biscuit and treating myself to mounds of dim sum after a tough day.
But has anyone ever felt any better after mainlining carbs to try and combat the blues? I don’t know about you but, after that initial comfort factor, I end up feeling worse. Still grumpy, agg or sad, but with an extra few pounds of jacket potato weighing me down and a carb coma to contend with.
Newsflash: it doesn’t have to be like that. Our minds are so heavily governed by what we eat that it really makes sense to get to know which ‘good mood foods’ are actually beneficial and might help us navigate our way through anxiety, SAD, hormone imbalances or just feeling down in the dumps.
With an estimated 90% of serotonin – frequently referred to as ‘the happy hormone’ – and 50% of dopamine (which produces feelings of love, joy and reward) being made in the gut, it’s high time we wised up to the real concept of feeding our brains. Turning to the usual starchy carbs (hello, mashed potato) and the nearest tub of ice cream plays havoc with blood sugar levels and is not a good idea for anyone with anxiety levels on red alert.
Instead, we asked nutritional therapist and co-author of The Happy Kitchen, Alice Mackintosh to talk us through some foods she reckons are top happy-eating ingredients…
The Happy Kitchen: Good Food Mood by Rachel Kelly and Alice Mackintosh is published by Short Books, £14.99 in paperback.
If you do feel overwhelmingly unhappy, medical help is always the answer. Please schedule an appointment with your GP.
Green tea
Anyone who’s ever suffered with anxiety will attest that the supersonic caffeine in coffee and black tea can leave you feeling jittery, depersonalised and climbing the walls. For an overall feeling of calm, Alice suggests swapping your usual cuppa for green, white or jasmine tea. “These all contain a small caffeine hit to sharpen the senses, alongside a burst of antioxidants and brain-boosting compounds such as EGCG, which are known for their health-giving properties. Theanine – found in green tea – is actually given in supplement form to those who suffer from panic attacks.”
Green tea can be unpleasant and bitter, but I promise this one is nice and mellow while still harnessing all the powerful herbal benefits: Pukka Organic Serene Jasmine Green Tea.
Red meat
Not usually found on #cleaneating shopping lists, a juicy steak has well and truly earned its place on the good mood food leaderboard by helping to manage mood swings and irritability. Alice explains: “Everyone has it in for red meat, but I believe firmly that we need some in our diet to support our minds. This is because it contains iron – essential for keeping our brain oxygenated properly, as well as helping to make some important brain chemicals. You can find iron in vegetarian foods but you need to eat a lot more of it, as well as B12, zinc, B6, which are other supportive nutrients for the brain found in red meat.”
“This doesn’t mean we should be cramming in burgers and sausages, but lean meat from beef, venison and lamb contains a wealth of goodness for body and mind. If you can find grass-fed meat then all the better.”
Try this recipe from The Happy Kitchen which contains lots of vitamin C to help aid absorption of iron into the body.
Iron Rich Steak Salad
Serves 2
Ingredients
For the dressing:
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp crème fraîche
1 tsp horseradish sauce
1 tsp cider vinegar
1 tsp honey
1 tsp olive oil
2 x 250g rump steaks, ideally around 3cm thick
For the marinade:
Handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Juice and zest of 1/3 lemon
4 drops Tabasco sauce (optional)
For the salad:
80g flat-leaf parsley, chopped
6 sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
4 artichoke hearts, quartered
100g rocket
8 radishes, thinly sliced
70g feta cheese, crumbled
3 tbsp pomegranate seeds (optional)
2 tbsp toasted pine nuts (optional)
Instructions
1. First make the dressing by combining all the ingredients and shaking them together in a jar.
2. Trim the harder fat off the steaks, brush them with oil and season both sides with a little salt.
3. Heat a griddle or heavy-based pan and add the meat once hot. Cook for 4 minutes on each side. If you prefer your steak well done, then leave it for another 1-2 minutes on each side.
4. Meanwhile, make the marinade. Whisk together all the ingredients in a dish big enough to accommodate the cooked steaks.
5. Place the steaks in the marinade for 8 minutes, turning them halfway through. Then remove them to a board and slice them thinly on the diagonal.
6. While the meat rests, combine the salad ingredients in a large bowl. Pour over three-quarters of the dressing and toss everything together.
7. To serve, place the sliced steak on a bed of the salad and pour over the rest of the dressing. Scatter with toasted pine nuts if so desired.
Turmeric
Turmeric is the current darling of the natural health world thanks to its seemingly endless health benefits, one of which is boosting mood. Use it in a trendy turmeric latte, or cook up an Indian feast to enjoy.
Alice says: “There is a lot of research currently going into the impacts that inflammation can have on the brain and it seems that for some people this may play a part in their mental wellbeing. This is one of the reasons why we should cook with turmeric: its anti-inflammatory properties in the body are well documented, and some research suggests it may help reduce depressive tendencies. Make sure you add black pepper and oil when cooking with it, as these encourage absorption of the goodness into the body.”
Cacao
Yes, it’s chocolate – but not as we know it. We’re talking the high-grade, high-cocoa-content stuff (i.e. not a Milky Bar). That 70% Green & Blacks will do the trick. Why? As Alice says, “It’s rich in magnesium, which is essential for good mental health. In particular, it seems to help with anxiety and improve our resilience to stress by supporting the adrenal glands – especially important for those of us living in a city, working hard, exercising and travelling.” That’s us. Also, it tastes good, so that will cheer you up in the traditional sense, too.
Feeling doubly in need of a happy hit? Try Alice and Rachel’s recipe for Brazil Nut Brownies – the added selenium from the nuts is great for balancing hormones and mood.
Brazil Nut Brownies
Ingredients
10 Brazil nuts
125g dark chocolate (ideally 100% cocoa or use 85%)
100ml almond milk
150g coconut oil, plus extra for greasing the tin
250ml maple syrup
Seeds from 1/2 vanilla pod or 1 tbsp vanilla extract
50g raw cacao powder, sieved
3 eggs
140g spelt flour
1 tsp baking powder
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 190C. Grease a 30cm x 20cm brownie tin and line it with baking parchment. Leave the paper sticking up at the sides to make it easier to lift the brownies out when they are cooked.
2. Roast the Brazil nuts in the oven for 15 minutes, turning them once halfway through. They should be slightly browned. Leave them to cool and then chop them up coarsely.
3. Put the chocolate, almond milk, coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla seeds or extract in a saucepan over a very gentle heat, stirring regularly, until everything has melted and you have a rich, glossy-looking batter.
4. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the cacao powder.
5. Allow the mixture to cool for 10-15 minutes, and then beat in the eggs. Add the flour, baking powder and chopped Brazil nuts.
6. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake it in the oven for about 12 minutes. Insert a cocktail stick and it should come out with a little chocolate residue. If you like your brownies less gooey, put the tin back in the oven for a further 3-5 minutes but take it out before the top starts to crack, otherwise the consistency will be more like cake.
7. Remove the tin from the oven and use the baking paper to help you slide the whole brownie onto a cooling rack. Cut it into squares once it has cooled completely.
Seaweed
Good news kids, 2017’s hottest ingredient is right up there for boosting serotonin levels. What’s the story, Alice? “Seaweed is rich in iodine, iron and many other essential nutrients that the brain loves. This is important as iodine aids hormone health, which would generally come from dairy, which many women actively avoid and can leave you at risk of deficiency. Sprinkle onto salads, soups and casseroles.”
Personally, I like it Japanese-style over a salad with salmon, or grab some of the yummy Itsu Seaweed Thins for a healthy pick-me-up.
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