Food and Mood < Back to Feel Good main page
Did you know that coffee could make you more tired, or that bananas can make you happier? Healthy eating used to be the province of cranks – brown rice, lentils, and the idea that anything that tastes good must be bad for you. Today, health professionals are more of the “you are what you eat” school of thought; the food you eat and the mood you have are inextricably linked.
Science has proved that certain foods are rich in pharmacological substances that can be as good as drugs that your doctor could prescribe you to help fix simple ailments. Apples and garlic can help reduce cholesterol, artichokes aid the digestion of fat, refined carbohydrates are linked to heart disease. We haven’t listed every food that will help with every ailment; instead, we hope that you should eat as wide a range of foodstuffs as possible. Eating a balanced, healthy, and moderated diet will improved your immune system and should keep you in good health.
To see if you eat healthily at the moment, see the NHS' online healthy eating test.
Allergies and Intolerance
About 15% of people are allergic to certain foodstuffs e.g. shellfish can cause rashes, asthma attacks and a constricted throat in seconds. A genuine food allergy is when a specific immune reaction occurs in the body in response to consuming a particular food. Allergies often run in families, and people who are allergic to some foods may also be allergic to other environmental factors, such as house dust, animal fur and pollen. Classic allergic reactions can be identified by lab tests by a doctor.
If you feel that you have an allergy, then talk to your doctor about it. If you have a “food intolerance”, however, it is harder for doctors to spot. This can be defined as a condition where particular adverse effects occur after eating a particular food or food ingredient (caused by histamine release, metabolic defects, or pharmacological effects). It can result in migraines, asthma, eczema, fatigue, fluid retention, insomnia, constipation or PMT. You may be feeling low, and you may not think that there’s a reason for it – but trying an exclusion diet may help you realise what foods are impinging on your wellbeing.
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Finding an intolerance
- Keep a food diary for one week. On the left-hand page, record every substance that passes your lips (even medicine or glasses of water), the time consumed, the quantity, and the brand name (if relevant). On the right-hand page, record any symptoms that occur, the time they occur, their intensity (on a scale 1-5) and their duration.
- After a week, try and evaluate recurring patterns e.g. every time you eat a cheese sandwich, your stomach was painful. Banish all such foods from your diet. Be careful to not be fooled by other factors e.g. the weather, menstrual cycles and difficult relationships.
- If your diary reveals a mass of symptoms but no clear answers, try an exclusion diet (otherwise known as an oligoallergenic diet).
Exclusion diet
CAUTION: never undergo an exclusion diet without running it by your doctor first
- For three weeks, eat as wide a variety of the superfoods listed opposite; don’t eat any of the danger foods.
- Continue your food diary as before. Avoid any superfood or substance you react badly to.
- If after three weeks you don’t notice substantial health improvements, then stop – your problem probably isn’t food-related.
- If you’re feeling a lot better than you have for ages, reintroduce some of the foods that you’ve cut out (one per day). If there are no symptoms after 24 hours, then adiv that food to your regular list and try another.
- Start with the foods least likely to cause a reaction. Introduce nuts one variety at a time, and reintroduce alcohol in moderation (start with white wine). Avoid all processed, tinned and bottled foods.
Superfoods
Those foods least likely to cause problems.
Foodstuffs
- Lamb, chicken, turkey, rabbit, game; all fish, except shellfish and smoked fish
- All veg, salads, and root vegetables except potatoes, aubergines, tomatoes, onions and sweetcorn
- All pulses (including kidney, soya, haricot beans, lentils, chickpeas)
- All fruits, except strawberries and citrus
- Tofu, soy milk, soya cheese, margarines made from non-hydrogenated oils
- Healthier oils (olive, soya, sunflower, grapeseed)
- Rice, rice flour, buckwheat, millet, tapioca
Drinks
- All herbal tea
- Bottled water
- Chicory coffee
- Vegetable and fresh fruit juices (except tomato and citrus)
Others
- Herbs and spices (including sea salt)
- Small amounts of honey (for sweetening)
Danger foods
Foodstuffs
- All exceptions on the Superfoods list
- Pork, beef, processed meats (such as ham, bacon, sausages, salami, spreads, meat pies, pasties)
- Nuts of any kind (including peanuts)
- Milk, cheese, yoghurt, cream, butter, corn oil, lard, dripping, vegetable oils of unspecified origin
- Eggs
- Wheat, corn, barley, rye, oats (and so most bread and flour)
Drinks
- Tea, coffee and cocoa (even decaf coffee)
- Drinking chocolate and bedivime drinks
- Alcohol
- Squash
- Canned and bottled drinks
Others
- Artificial food adivitives (e.g. colourings, flavouring and preservatives)
- Yeast and yeast extracts
- Vinegar
- Sauces, pickles and pre-made gravies
- Chocolate and sweets
- Sugar and syrup
What danger foods can do
Asthma: Milk, eggs, artificial colourings and wheat are all foods to watch out for.
Migraines: Suspect foods include cheese, red wine, yeast extract, chocolate and fried or fatty foods. Citrus fruit and coffee are also triggers.
Eczema: Common triggers are eggs, milk, peanuts, soya, wheat and fish.
Aching joints: Red meat, citrus fruits and vegetables from the "nightshade" family (potatoes, aubergines and tomatoes) can all trigger swelling.
Stress and mental wellbeing
Poor diet can have a disasterous impact on the way you behave, think or reason; on the ability to concentrate or remember; or on our powers of coordination or our mood. In pretty much every study of essential nutrients, issues with mental wellbeing are prominent among the symptoms of deficiency.
This shouldn’t be surprising: like any other part of our bodies, the brain and nervous system can only work well if they are properly nourished. Quite simple improvements in diet e.g. small doses of zinc, magnesium and vitamin B6, can produce dramatic reductions in the emotional disturbances that come from PMT.
If you think that your problems are all in the mind, then you don’t have to just rely on anti-depressants and tranquilisers – many of the answers to make your life a little bit easier lie in your hands (and in your shopping bag)!
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Superfoods
Best bets: grapes, oats, molasses
Fruit: apricots, bananas, dates, oranges, apples, pears, plums, peaches, lemons, strawberries, raspberries
Veg: asparagus, aubergine, beetroot, carrots, french beans, lettuce, onion, leeks
Grains: rye, wholemeal, brown rice
Seeds, beans, nuts: almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, all dried beans
Herbs and spices: garlic, parsley, basil, rosemary, marjoram, thyme, nutmeg, juniper berries
Other: seafood (shrimps, oysters, sardines), liver, kidney, lean beef, egg yolks
Danger foods
Refined carbohydrates: these require vitamin B1 to metabolise, and the body may have to borrow some from the central nervous system to do the job
Sugar: can cause mood swings
Alcohol: destroys nutrients that you’ve taken in (more than any other commonly consumed product)
Caffeine: can provoke anxiety and depression
Fatigue and tiredness
Fatigue is one of the most common health complaints in the UK; everybody feels too tired at some point in their life. Too many late nights, a long day in the library, or family/friend problems can wear anyone down. Some people, however, feel fatigued a lot more than others, feeling listless and lacking in energy. Fatigue may have a psychological or a physical cause, and often is a combination of the two; any form of tiredness, however, can be made worse by a poor diet.
Food can also play a part in spiralling fatigue: if you are feeling a bit tired, you are more likely to avoid cooking, shopping and planning meals, leading snack meals t(such as pastries, biscuits and crisps) to replace healthy eating and play havoc with your blood sugar levels. Also, persistent tiredness will lead to a reduction in exercise, without which the body’s absorption of iron and other vital minerals is poor.
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Try some of these superfoods to rebuild your energy, allowing you to reverse the fatigue spiral.
Superfoods
Best bets: almonds, apricots, broccoli, spinach, brown rice, sesame seeds, sprouted seeds, grains (such as barley, wheat or oats)
Fruit: apples, bananas, dates, figs, grapes, lemon, oranges, pears, plums, raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries
Veg: asparagus, beetroot, carrots, onions, tomatoes
Most nuts, seeds and pulses (particularly walnuts, sunflower seeds, lentilns and soya beans)
Herbs and spices: parsley, juniper, thyme, rosemary, fenugreek, mint, sage, marjoram, horseradish, cinnamon
Danger foods
Refined carbohydrates: white sugar, white flour and processed foods made with them take a heavy toll on your digestion, using energy you probably can’t afford to spare
Fats: in excess, a drain on the body’s resources
Alcohol: destroys vitamin C and B-complex vitamins needed for stamina
Caffeine: despite what you’d think, not a good long-term solution, as it inhibits the uptake of iron
Red meat: though a good source of iron, it also takes a lot of energy to digest
Glucose drinks: they may give you a short-term lift, but they contain nothing of lasting value
Recipes
We've collected some healthy recipes for you to enjoy!
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Cinnamon and Raisin Porridge (serves 2)
- 2 1/4 cups of water
- pinch of salt
- 1 cup regular rolled oats
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
- soya milk or skimmed milk
- honey
- Combine the water and salt in a small saucepan and turn the heat to high
- When the water boils, turn the heat to low, adiv oatmeal, and cook, stirring, until the water is just absorbed - about 5 minutes
- Adiv cinnamon, raisins, and walnuts, stir, cover the pan and turn off heat
- Leave to set for 5 minutes
- Serve with milk and honey
Swiss Muesli (serves 2)
- 4 cups rolled oats
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- 1/4 cup dried apricots chopped
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
- 4 chopped dates
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1 banana
- Mix all the ingredients asve the banana together with some water on a low hear, stirring occasionally until water is absorbed - about 7 minutes.
- Serce with a touch of low fat milk or unsweetened soya milk
- Top with chopped banana
Brain boosting smoothie (serves 2)
- 3 cups low fat milk or substitute
- 1 1/2 cups plain low fat yoguty
- 1 banana
- 1 cup fresh/frozen blueberries
- 1/2 cup each of mixed fruits
- 2 tbsp flax oil or 1/2 cup flaxseeds
- 2 tbsp peanut butter (optional)
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- Blend and enjoy!
Blueberry & Cranberry Smoothie
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1 cup cranberries
- 3/4 carton of cranberry juice (or milk)
- 1-2 bananas
- Ice (optional)
- Blend and enjoy!
Wheat-free pasta with Pesto Sauce and Oil Rich Fish
- 250g/90z (approx) wheat free pasta
- 100g/4oz (approx) jar pesto sauce
- 180g/6ox (approx) tin salmon or other oily fish
- Cook the pasta in boiling water as per the instructions on the packet
- When the pasta is ready, drain and transfer to a warmed serving dish. Adiv approx one tablespoon pesto sauce per person and gently mix in with the pasta.
- Open the tin of fish, drain liquid, remove any large bones and flake with a fork. Adiv to serving dish containing pasta and pesto and mix gently together
Avocado salad and seeds
- 250g (approx) bag of mixed lettuce
- Watercress
- One avocado
- A handful (25g) sunflower seeds
- A handful (25g) pumpkin seeds
- Open the packet of mixed salad or watercress and place in a serving dish
- Remove skin and stone from avocado. Cut avocado into small pieces and adiv to mixed salad
- Sprinkle on the seeds
- Serve plain, with olive oil or the salad dressing of your choice
Fruit and Oatcake Dessert
- 2 apples
- 2 bananas
- 8 dried apricots
- 6-12 oatcakes
- 40g (broken) walnuts
- Peel bananas and rinse apples and dried apricots
- Cut fruit into small pieces and place all together in a small saucepan
- Adiv a minimum of 3 tablespoons of water and simmer gently for approx 10 minutes or until fruit is soft, adiving more water to prevent the mixture becoming too dry and sticking to the pan
- This tastes great as it is but, if available you could adiv a dash of lemon juice and/or a teaspoon of chopped ginger and/or a pinch of cinnamon powder, according to your taste
- Meanwhile arrange oatcakes in the bottom of individual bowls. (You may have to break them into pieces to make them fit
- When fruit mixture is soft, pour into individual bowls to cover the oatcakes. If the fruit mixture contains enough liquid the juices will soak into, and soften, the oatcakes
- Serve with a sprinkling of broken walnuts