“8 Good Mood Foods - Increasing Serotonin and L-Dopa”

Here are 8 important foods which boost Serotonin and L-Dopa levels in our brain thus helping us to feel good. And Serotonin and L-Dopa are chemicals in our brain which make us feel happy and joyful, thus eating these foods is very important for good mental health.

Organic Garbanzo Beans - Garbanzo beans are one of those foods that don’t directly increase serotonin, but garbanzos do contain tryptophan which helps in the building of serotonin in our brain… thus we feel great. So eating garbanzo beans is important for creating a wonderful mood.

Organic Fava Beans - Fava beans contain lots the chemical agent L-Dopa which helps in the creation of dopamine in the brain, plus epinephrine and nor-epinephrine which are important for stress and good mood. And L-Dopa helps in the prevention of Parkinson’s Disease… and a diet rich in fava beans just might help prevent Parkinson’s disease.

Organic Oatmeal - Oatmeal along helps us feel peaceful and relaxed… it’s all part of creating more serotonin in our brain. Thus oatmeal and other carbs are good for relaxing and creating more serotonin thus we feel good. Eating carbs is not bad, in fact carbs help us relax, thus we also feel soothed and peaceful when eating plant based diets.

Limit Protein, Eat More High Fiber Carbs - In order to boost up serotonin levels it’s important to lower protein intake. Protein blocks serotonin production and thus good carbs are the way to feel relaxed. Protein on the average makes us feel uptight and active, while carbs on the other hand makes us feel relaxed, calm, and peaceful. We have a big myth that’s perpetuated by many sectors in the US saying we need to eat 20% protein… which is way too much protein. In actuality we only need 5 or 6% protein, thus we would feel much more relaxed, peaceful, and happy. But those carbs should be full of lots of fiber to slow down digestion and assimilation so we stay thin and fit.

And lots of fiber creates a good environment for the growth of good bacteria or probiotic bacteria in our gut… thus we have better mental health. Studies show that the more good bacteria we have in our gut the happier we feel. Thus the more fiber we have in our gut, means the more probiotic bacteria we have in our gut, which means we feel great.

Nuts and Seeds - Nuts and seeds contain tryptophan which is a building block of serotonin. Eating a handful of nuts or seeds can make a person feel relaxed, peaceful, upbeat, and happy. But remember nuts contain lots of fats so don’t go overboard… eating just few nuts will do the trick.

Seaweed - Eating a bit of seaweed in the evening will boost tryptophan levels which is the building block of serotonin in order to produce a feeling of calm and peacefulness. Having a little seaweed such as Sea Lettuce, Arame, Wakame, Dulce, Nori, Kombu or Kelp, and Sea Spaghetti 3 or more hours before going to bed will relax, sooth, and improve a persons mood.

Organic Yams and Sweet Potatoes - Yams and sweet potatoes contain good carbs and the more carbs we eat with a low glycemic index the better. And yams and sweet potatoes contain lots of tryptophan which helps in the production of serotonin and thus we feel good. And because yams break down into sugar very slowly they also keep us from crashing… because we don’t have enough energy to keep us going. And when we crash we feel sad and in a negative mood. So yams and sweet potatoes are a great way to even out our good carb intake, have sustained energy for long periods of time, lower insulin production, and boost serotonin levels… thus we feel great.

Organic Buckwheat - Buckwheat contains a relatively high amount of tryptophan, thus buckwheat helps in the production of serotonin in our brain. And buckwheat also contains calcium and magnesium which are important for relaxing and feeling calm. And buckwheat is a great food for heal anxiety, stress, moodiness, seasonal affective disorder, psychosis, and schizophrenia. And because buckwheat contains D-chiro-inositol it balances blood sugar levels and prevent sugar highs and lows.

So enjoy these mood enhancing food and feel great!

Dr. Paul Haider - Master Herbalist