5 Foods to Boost Your Mood
Elevate your Mood with these five foods
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First published: 17. Jan.2025
Overview
Let thy food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food Hippocrates (400 BC)
There is no evidence in the writings of Hippocrates that he ever said this popular phrase attributed to him, however, it is used to highlight the intimate link between nutrition and health, both physical and mental.
This article looks into five different foods that could have a mood-improving effect, promoting mental well-being and protecting against depression.
References and Further Reading
(1) Panurywanti, Emillia & Wiboworini, Budiyanti & Indarto, Dono, (2021). The effect of banana dose and duration on the decrease of sleep disorders in the elderly. Journal of Medical and Allied Sciences. 11. 71. 10.5455/jmas.134020
(2) Field DT, Cracknell RO, Eastwood JR, Scarfe P, Williams CM, Zheng Y, Tavassoli T., (2022). High-dose Vitamin B6 supplementation reduces anxiety and strengthens visual surround suppression. Hum Psychopharmacol. 2022 Nov;37(6):e2852. doi: 10.1002/hup.2852. Epub 2022 Jul 19. PMID: 35851507
(3) Tsai WH, Yeh WL, Chou CH, Wu CL, Lai CH, Yeh YT, Liao CA, Wu CC., (2023). Suppressive Effects of Lactobacillus on Depression through Regulating the Gut Microbiota and Metabolites in C57BL/6J Mice Induced by Ampicillin. Biomedicines. 2023 Apr 1;11(4):1068. doi: 10.3390/biomedicines11041068. PMID: 37189686
(4) Akram, N., Faisal, Z., et al. (2024). Exploring the serotonin-probiotics-gut health axis: A review of current evidence and potential mechanisms. Food Science & Nutrition, 12, 694–706. https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.3826
(5) Bryant J. Jongkees, Bernhard Hommel, Simone Kühn, Lorenza S. Colzato, (2015). Effect of tyrosine supplementation on clinical and healthy populations under stress or cognitive demands—A review. Journal of Psychiatric Research, Vol 70, 50-57, ISSN 0022-3956, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2015.08.014
(6) Joung JY, Song JG, Kim HW, Oh NS., (2021). Protective Effects of Milk Casein on the Brain Function and Behavior in a Mouse Model of Chronic Stress. J Agric Food Chem. 2021 Feb 17;69(6):1936-1941. doi: 10.1021/acs.jafc.0c07292. Epub 2021 Jan 26. PMID: 33496183
(7) Sajjadi, S.S., Foshati, S., Haddadian-Khouzani, S. et al., (2022). The role of selenium in depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis of human observational and interventional studies. Sci Rep 12, 1045 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-05078-1
(8) Zhou Lie, et al. (2022). Possible antidepressant mechanisms of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids acting on the central nervous system. Frontiers in Psychiatry, Vol 13 doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2022.933704, ISSN=1664-0640
(9) Carnegie, R., Borges, M.C., Jones, H.J. et al., (2024). Omega-3 fatty acids and major depression: a Mendelian randomization study. Transl Psychiatry 14, 222 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-024-02932-w
(10) C. Prasad, (1998). Food, mood and health: a neurobiologic outlook. Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research (1998) 31: 1517-1527, ISSN 0100-879X
(11) Botturi A, Ciappolino V, Delvecchio G, Boscutti A, Viscardi B, Brambilla P., (2020). The Role and the Effect of Magnesium in Mental Disorders: A Systematic Review. Nutrients. 2020 Jun 3;12(6):1661. doi: 10.3390/nu12061661. PMID: 32503201
(12) Lyu C, Tsinovoi CL, Xun P, Song Y, Pu Y, Rosanoff A, Iribarren C, Schreiner PJ, Shikany JM, Jacobs DR, Kahe K. , (2021). Magnesium intake was inversely associated with hostility among American young adults. Nutr Res. 2021 May;89:35-44. doi: 10.1016/j.nutres.2021.01.001. Epub 2021 Apr 21. PMID: 33894659
About this Article
5 Foods to Boost Your Mood, A. Whittall
©2025 Fit-and-Well.com. First Published: 17.Jan.2025. Update scheduled for 17.Jan.2028. https://www.fit-and-well.com/wellness/5-foods-to-improve-your-mood.html
Tags: mood, bananas, yogurt, cheese, fish, nuts, omega-3, seeds, PUFAs