Need a Lift? Try These Good Mood Foods

We’re well into spring, so presumably your mood has already lifted from a couple of months ago. But it certainly makes sense that what you eat has lots to do with how you’re feeling about yourself and the world.

With longer hours of sunshine (which helps your body use vitamin D for bone health) and the bounty of spring fruits and vegetables available, it’s easy to avoid nutritional deficiencies that increase inflammation within the body, which can contribute to a number of maladies and diseases.

For example, there is evidence that depression can be caused by a low-level inflammatory disorder or a deficiency of certain nutrients. By making some lifestyle changes such as increasing exercise and avoiding sugar, highly processed foods, and simple carbohydrates, you can lift your mood and reduce inflammation that can lead to chronic health issues such as heart disease, metabolic disorders, and even cancer.

Adding supplements to your regime, such as B-complex vitamins, and eating unsaturated omega-3 fats with a diet of antioxidant-rich foods like salmon, turmeric, green tea, leafy greens, and broccoli can give a boost to your health and outlook.

Following are some mood-enhancing foods and what they do for your mind and body:

Salmon and shrimp – Excellent sources of protein and Omega-3 fatty acids to enhance brain health

Tomatoes and watermelon – Their red color means they’re both full of lycopene, which helps prevent the formation of inflammatory compounds that can contribute to poor mood

Chili peppers – Capsaicin in chilis helps reduce inflammation in the body and brain

Beets, spinach, edamame, beans, and lentils – These contain high levels of folate, which supports cognition and a good mood

Garlic – Chromium and other compounds present in garlic act as natural mood stabilizers

Fresh fruits and vegetables — Full of vitamins and minerals, the fiber in produce promotes good gut health and feelings of well-being

The great news is that mood-boosting foods feature in scores of delicious dishes that you’ll enjoy while doing your mind and body a favor. Here are a few great recipes to try:

Shrimp with Purple Cabbage and Mango Slaw

The look of this dish alone is enough to make your eyes dilate with anticipated pleasure! The shrimp is a great source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids. The cabbage, a cruciferous vegetable, provides tryptophan and selenium, which relax your body and mind. Purple cabbage has ten times the vitamin A of green cabbage. It also contains antioxidants, and a good amount of vitamin C. Mangoes are a superfood, containing over 20 different vitamins and minerals. 3/4 cup of mango provides 50% of the RDA for vitamin C and a small but significant amount of your daily Vitamin A and vitamin B6.

Ingredients

Serves 4

FOR THE DRESSING:

3 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. rice wine vinegar

1 tsp. coconut aminos or tamari

1 tsp. soy sauce

2 tsp. pure maple syrup

1 tsp. grated fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, grated or minced

½ tsp. Chinese 5-spice powder

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

⅓ cup avocado oil

2 tsp. toasted sesame oil

FOR THE SLAW AND SHRIMP:

2 mangoes, cut into chunks

6 radishes, thinly sliced

3 carrots, grated or peeled into ribbons

½ head purple cabbage, finely shredded

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro or Thai basil

2 tablespoons avocado oil

1 clove garlic, minced

½ tsp. Chinese 5-Spice powder

2 tsp.  sesame seeds

¼ tsp. sea salt

¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper

½- to ¾-pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails left on

4 green onions, thinly sliced

 Instructions

1. Make the dressing: Whisk together the first eight ingredients (vinegar through salt). While whisking, slowly drizzle in oils until fully combined. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, toss together mangoes, radishes, carrots, cabbage, and cilantro (or Thai basil). Drizzle with dressing, toss and allow vegetables to marinate for 20 minutes. Taste, and adjust seasoning.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk 2 Tbsp. avocado oil, garlic, Chinese 5-spice powder, sesame seeds, 1/8 tsp. salt, and ¼ tsp. pepper. Add shrimp and toss to coat.
4. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté shrimp for about 4 minutes or until cooked through. Divide slaw among serving plates, top with shrimp, and garnish with green onions and more sesame seeds.
   

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Leek, Mushroom, and Zucchini Noodle Zoup

This light, broth-based vegetable soup provides delicious hydration—important for mental clarity. Lemon adds bright flavor and spiralized zucchini replaces carb-heavy pasta for additional low-calorie nutrients. Don’t have a spiralizer? You can thinly slice the zucchini instead.

Ingredients

Serves 4

1 Tbs. ghee or olive oil

1 large leek, white and light-green parts only, washed and thinly sliced into half-moons (about 1 cup)

4 oz. shiitake mushrooms, sliced

4 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced

¼ tsp. sea salt

¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbs. white miso

6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

1 bay leaf

2 sprigs of fresh thyme

2 cups thinly sliced, loosely packed bok choy or baby kale

8 oz. zucchini noodles (about ¾ pound zucchini, spiralized)

2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. low sodium soy sauce

3 tsp. toasted sesame oil

Crushed red pepper flakes, for garnish

Instructions

1. Heat ghee or oil in a 4½-quart, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high. Add leeks, mushrooms, salt, and pepper, and cook until soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook an additional 1 minute.
2. Mix miso with 2 Tbs. broth until smooth. Add mixture plus remaining broth, bay leaf, and thyme to vegetables. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes. Add in the kale or the bok choy, cover, and steam for 3–4 minutes.
3. Uncover, and stir in zucchini noodles; cook for 2–3 minutes. Add lemon juice, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Taste, and adjust seasoning.
4. Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Ladle soup into bowls, and garnish with red pepper flakes.
   

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Spinach, Watermelon and Grapefruit Salad

Spinach contains iron and antioxidants. Grapefruit is full of vitamin C and potassium. You can use pink or white grapefruit in this salad, though pink grapefruit has the added benefit of lycopene. Watermelon contains a phytonutrient called citrulline, which causes blood vessels to relax and circulation to speed up. Watermelons are also a great source of antioxidants which will help to improve your overall well-being. The candied walnuts and dried apricots balance the acidity of the grapefruit and increase the antioxidants in this dish. My Honey-Lime Dressing perfectly complements the mellow flavor of the spinach.

 Ingredients

SERVES 2

1 bag washed spinach leaves
1 whole grapefruit, segmented

½ personal-sized watermelon, cut into chunks
¼ cup candied walnuts
¼ cup dried apricots

2 Tbsp. crumbled feta cheese
2 recipes  Honey-Lime Dressing to taste.

 Instructions

1. Wash and stem the spinach leaves and place in a bowl.
   2. Add the grapefruit, watermelon, walnuts, and apricots.
   3. Toss with dressing to taste.

Honey Lime Dressing

YIELDS about 1/4 cup

Ingredients

1 1/2 Tbs. lime juice (about 1 lime)
1 1/2 Tbs. honey
1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 minced garlic clove
1/2 tsp. chili powder
Sea salt to taste

Procedure

Combine all the ingredients in a container with a tight-fitting lid and shake until well blended.

Wild Caught Salmon with Wasabi-Avocado Sauce

The mild, buttery avocado and the sharp wasabi create a salty-spicy taste that plays well with the FoodTrient-rich salmon. This popular fish provides important amounts of taurine- an amino acid that helps support immunity–and is a great source of vitamin B12, vitamin D, and selenium, along with niacin and Omega-3.

Ingredients

2 medium cloves garlic, finely minced

1 large, very ripe avocado, pitted and peeled

1 Tbs. canola mayonnaise

1 Tbs. lemon juice

2-3 Tbs. of nonfat milk

¼-½ tsp. wasabi powder

1 Tbs. sesame oil

4 5-oz. wild salmon fillets, rinsed, patted dry

2 Tbs. black sesame seeds

¼ cup low-sodium tamari

1 tsp. toasted sesame oil

¼ cup water

Instructions

1. Mince garlic. Add avocado, mayonnaise, lemon juice, 2 Tbs. milk, and wasabi powder; purée in a food processor until creamy, adding remaining milk if needed. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a glass bowl, cover, and refrigerate. (Makes about ¾ cup.)
2. In a medium skillet, heat sesame oil until very hot. Place salmon in the pan, skin-side up, and cook until lightly browned, about 1½ minutes. Turn fillets over and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Add tamari, toasted sesame oil, and water to the skillet. Cover and cook over medium heat for 7-9 minutes, until just cooked through, adding more water if needed. Remove from pan, arrange on serving plates, and drizzle with sauce. Serve immediately.