Dark chocolate, bananas, and coffee are among the foods and drinks that impact wellbeing in a positive way. But we can’t live on dark chocolate, bananas, and coffee all the time now, can we?
Some people don’t even like dark chocolate, others have allergic reactions to bananas, and in regards to coffee – well, coffee is not everybody’s first choice of drink in the morning, believe it or not.
When it comes to foods that elevate moods, the list is longer than three. And it’s almost spring season, which means plenty of seasonal power foods to boost your mood. Here’s what to add to your spring grocery list for elevated spirits.
Top three mood boosting vegetables
Artichokes – steamed or boiled, added to tarts or salads, this beautiful looking bud is tasty and nutritious, not to mention versatile.
Artichokes are available year round, but peak March through May and being such a good source of B-vitamins, they’ll surely improve your mood, plus help restore gut health. Artichokes are a great spring food also because they help detoxify the body, so make sure you stock abundantly.
Asparagus – is one of the most beloved vegetables ever. Even kids adore it, which speaks for itself. To Louis XIV of France, it was the “food of kings,” that’s how much he loved asparagus. And you should too because, with such a nutritional profile, the vegetable is truly a super food.
Try roasted or grilled asparagus for best taste, but if you feel like real breakfast, try cheesy tart topped with asparagus.
Radishes – those little red, pink, or white vegetables are actually a lot more varied than that. You’re probably used to seeing them in these three colors alone, but radishes come in different other colors and shapes, plus they vary by taste too.
Radishes can be sweet or spicy, but whichever the variety, they pack plenty of nutrients and more relevant for our purpose here, they boost metabolism. Crunch your salads with radishes or stir fry until soft and serve warm as a side dish.
Top three mood boosting fruits
Strawberries – are an ideal choice for topping oatmeal or adding to smoothies. They’re an ideal fruit to add to breakfast or eat throughout the day because they will help you keep sharp. Plus, if you add strawberries to oatmeal, you double the benefit because oatmeal too is a mood boosting food.
Pack strawberries, banana and oatmeal and you get a power breakfast that will elevate your mood and improve your performance thereon.
Apricots – fully ripe apricots are something to look forward to now that spring is about to kick in. So delicious and so healthy too, raw apricots are fruits that you should be eating daily this season to uplift your mood.
Seriously, these fruits can make you happy literally. They’re high in vitamin B6 and antioxidants.
Oranges – particularly blood orange is not a fruit you want to ignore, despite – what some people call – unappetizing color.
It’s a known fact that citrus oils improve mood, but so do citrus fruits in general, and blood orange is, in particular, a good fruit choice because they contain anthocyanins, powerful antioxidants in reducing stress.