Feeling Down? Pick Yourself Up with One of These "Good Mood" Foods [Food]

Does chocolate make you happy? There may be a good reason for that (besides just deliciousness): A recent study found that certain foods have the same chemical structure as prescription mood stabilizers.

Researcher Karina Martinez-Mayorga presented her findings at the American Chemical Society. She and her team compared over 1,700 food flavor ingredients with antidepressants and other drugs prescribed for depression.

It turns out chocolate, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, teas, and foods high in Omega-3s (e.g., salmon and nuts) are structurally similar to valproic acid, the main ingredient in several mood stabilizing drugs.

Of course, chocolate and nuts aren't replacements for medication if you have depression, but Martinez-Mayorga says these foods, combined with healthy habits like getting sleep and exercising, could "deliver a quantifiable mood boost." Hey, any reason to have some chocolate or another cup of tea is good for me.

Comfort Food Is Real: Scientists Discover "Good Mood Foods" | Good

Photo by Boris Bartels

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/GaZjqb0sobc/feeling-down-pick-yourself-up-with-one-of-these-good-mood-foods

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