It turns out that carbs do more than just give you an energy boost, they also make you feel great. And we have the science to prove it. Now technically we’re going to talk about neurotransmitters which are a little different to hormones, but they are still chemical messengers and they are found in our nervous system. They bind to receptors in the brain to stimulate activity, and they absolutely looooove carbs.
First up is serotonin, the good mood chemical. You might have heard that low levels of serotonin in the brain can be associated with a low mood, increased anxiety and obsessions, and a reduced ability to sleep. Thankfully you can increase brain serotonin through good nutrition, sunlight and exercise, which is why we tend to feel better after going for a walk in the sunshine when we’re feeling down. But what about the food front? Well, serotonin rich foods don’t raise brain serotonin levels, as it can’t cross the blood brain barrier. But you can eat foods high in Tryptophan to produce serotonin (turkey, sunflower and pumpkin seeds)
Now – fact – protein competes with serotonin production, so you should try eating carbs on their own sometimes as snacks to produce serotonin. Healthy carbs like fruit or vegetables. Or of course there is always dark chocolate which is known to produce serotonin (we knew it!!). You also need to get enough wholegrains and vitamin B6 to naturally boost serotonin. B6 is found in spinach, turnip greens, garlic, cauliflower, mustard greens, celery, fish (especially tuna, salmon, snapper), poultry (chicken and turkey) and lean beef.
For reasons above, a low carb, high protein diet may actually reduce serotonin levels!
We knew there was a reason we felt flat when we passed the bread basket!
Dopamine is another important neurotransmitter which makes you ‘feel good’. It is created when the body breaks down a protein – the amino acid tyrosine. As dopamine is linked to alertness and motivation, insufficient dopamine will leave you feeling foggy and passive.
The best source of tyrosine are good quality proteins (beef, cheese, chicken, eggs (egg white!), fatty fish, turkey. Plant foods containing folate and antioxidants can also assist in dopamine production in the brain, especially red beets as they contain tyrosine and betaine which improves mood, spinach, kale, avocado, broccoli, cauliflower), and fruits (bananas, apples, strawberries, blueberries).
Chocolate, coffee, green tea, nuts and seeds, turmeric and wheat also increases dopamine levels in the brain. Did someone just say chocolate again???
Hang on though, additives, simple carbs (white bread, pasta, biscuits, cake, packaged foods), sugars and sweeteners are known to spike dopamine quickly but then reduce dopamine levels in the brain over time and should be avoided.
So perhaps a nice dark chocolate with more than 70% cocoa is best for your chocolate fix, and just a few squares at night after dinner.
But the take away message is – make sure you’re getting lots of nice complex carbs, such as veggies, fruit, grains and dairy, to really boost your serotonin production, and a nice amount of protein and antioxidant foods for your dopamine levels. And the odd square of chocolate!
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