Happy food

I think we all have heard about comfort food, but foods that make you happy. Apparently some sorts of food make us happy and lift our spirits when things are just plain gloomy.

A Little Dessert - Sugar soothes us when we're stressed--or at least it calms down stressed-out rats, which are good models for stress in people. But before you race to the vending machine with a license to binge, know that a little sugar may soothe rattled nerves, but too much will backfire, playing moody havoc with your blood sugar.

Toast and Jam - "Of course we crave bread and other carbohydrates when we're down!," laughs Elizabeth Somer, RD, author of Food & Mood. "Carbs raise levels of the feel-good brain chemical serotonin, which lifts our spirits." But think whole-wheat bread and other whole-grain carbs, because they also stabilize blood sugar levels--unlike refined grains

Yogurt and Eggs - Numerous studies show that getting more of the omega-3 fatty acid called DHA in your diet makes you happier and smarter. Even people battling tough-to-treat depression feel as much as 50% better when they get lots of DHA.

Popeye's Fave - No wonder he was always in such a high-energy mood. Spinach is full of folate, a B vitamin that's a must for making feel-good serotonin. Like DHA, folate is potent enough to ease clinical depression, say researchers.

Black Bean Dip - Black beans, like most legumes, are a nifty source of iron. And if you're low on iron--as many active women are--you can be tired and have trouble sleeping, turning you into Major Grouch.

I think I can vouch for all of those things besides the spininch and black bean dip. I have it from time to time, but probably not enough to feel a change in my spirits. To lighten my spirits I would probably go for some sugar and of course toast and jam. It helps every time.