Nutrition and Mood

Nutrition and mood are interconnected. Understanding how the foods you eat affect your mental health, mood and how you feel

Why are we so drawn to sweets, starch and salt when we are stressed? 

Your digestive system converts all food into blood sugar which your body then uses for energy. Because simple carbohydrates (candy, soda, processed foods) are easy to digest, we get a much quicker rise in blood sugar and as a result this causes a quick release of endorphins(happy hormones).Our body is very adept at clearing that sugar quickly from our blood and as a result our blood sugar will drop severely after ingesting a meal or snack consisting of a lot of simple carbohydrates.  This sudden drop in blood sugar causes a mood crash…. What we often refer to as feeling “Hangry”; hungry and angry combined.  When we sub out those simple carbohydrates for complex carbohydrates (oatmeal, quinoa, beans, fruit, etc..) and combine that complex carbohydrate with a little protein and/or healthy fat, we get a much slower rate of digestion and as a result a much gentler change in blood sugar. We will avoid that sudden drop and feel much better as a result.

• Endorphins (Happy Hormones): dopamine, serotonin and adrenaline. They help us feel calm, happy and content.  It is why we crave simple carbohydrates when we are stressed; we are looking for that quick release of those endorphins to calm us down.
• Stress Hormone:cortisol is a hormone that helps us react to stress.  It plays a role in our metabolism, immune function, inflammation and sleep.  It is released when our blood sugar drops very low and very quickly. This can happen right after our blood sugar peaks when we eat high carbohydrate meals consisting of simple carbohydrates. When we combine a complex carbohydrate, a protein, and healthy fat in our snacks/meals, we balance our cortisol & endorphins and avoid mood crashes.

Macronutrients & Blood Sugar Control Tips:

CARBOHYDRATE ~ When you eat a carb, add protein and/or a healthy fat to avoid a roller coaster of emotions. 

• Focus on high fiber carb sources like fruit, grain (whole grain bread, cereals, pasta), beans, pulses, and starchy vegetables (butternut squash, corn, sweet potato, peas, etc. ).

PROTEIN  ~  Be mindful of protein sources like beans and pulses that also contain a healthy serving of carbs to make sure you are balancing.

• Eggs, fish, lean cuts of meat (beef & pork), chicken, turkey, tofu, tempeh, beans*, pulses*, seeds, nuts, and dairy products

HEALTHY FATS

• Avocado, olive oil, nuts and seeds

WATERY VEGGIES  ~  Full of vitamins, water and fiber…  Enjoy as many as you like as they don’t have as much of an affect on blood sugar and they are so good for you!

• Cucumbers, celery, lettuce, spinach, cabbage, zucchini, bell peppers, asparagus etc….

Healthy Snacking Tips

Snacking between meals helps to fuel our bodies and keep us strong. Use these tips when picking out a snack and you’ll be sure to have the energy you need to keep up with your busy lifestyle:

1. Don’t go long periods of time between meals and snacks. Your body needs a constant supply of nutrient dense foods to keep you growing and to keep your strength up for sports/activities.
2. Keep easy, non-perishable food items in your backpack, locker and your parent’s car for those times that you are busy and don’t have time to prepare a snack. Recommended options… Kind bars • Trail mix • Bag of popcorn or pretzels mixed with slivered almonds and a handful of dried fruit • Individual peanut butter packets and crackers • Dried edamame or garbanzo beans • corn nuts

SNACK IDEAS: Combine complex carbohydrates with lean protein in each snack…

• Hummus and pita chips
• Turkey roll ups
• Cheese and crackers
• Greek yogurt with fresh berries
• Carrot and celery sticks with hummus
• Cottage cheese and fruit
• Smoothies made with fresh fruit and 1 Tbsp. of almond butter
• Peanut/almond butter and jelly sandwich on wheat bread

Certain foods have mood enhancing effects:

*Broccoli: full of Vitamin K which is great for memory.

*Dark chocolate: contains mood boosting flavonoids

*Green tea: has a building block that is needed to make the neurotransmitter GABA which is calming and helps with sleep

*Eggs: contain choline which is used to make acetylcholine (a neurotransmitter needed for memory and mood)

*Salmon, Dairy, Cereals/Grains:  Contain Vitamin D (sunshine vitamin) which can boost metabolism, immune system, & possibly reduce depression.

Jennifer Tasca MSRD has lived and practiced in Santa Barbara as a local Registered Dietitian for over 20 years. She specializes in diets for hormonal control and autoimmune disorders. You can find her at

jennifertasca1@gmail.com and online at www.sbnutritiongeek.com and  Instagram: sbnutritiongeek.