You feel so good while you're indulging, but then the guilt sets in as you realize you've consumed a day's worth of calories in one meal...
Fortunately, there are alternative food choices to lift your frame of mind, without the emotional tumble afterward. Of course, they may not be as tasty nor as satisfying as an ice cream parfait, topped with whipped cream, buttery caramel and chunks of milk chocolate, but a lighter conscience and a smaller waistline might be all the motivation you need to make the superior selection.
The common link between most foods that healthily elevate mood are the B vitamins, particularly vitamin B6. Foods high in vitamin B6 include avocado (the richest plant source of vitamin B), bananas (also a good source of magnesium, which is known for its relaxing properties), oranges (high in the B vitamin, folic acid) and oatmeal (high in the B vitamin, thiamin).
Other notable foods include brazil nuts (high in selenium, known to boost mood), chamomile tea (renowned for it's anti-anxiety properties) and....OMG:
CHOCOLATE!
Yes, you get a bit of chocolate! I love love love chocolate and nothing, other than a piece of chocolate, gives me more pleasure than to tell you that cocoa contains phenyl-ethylamine, a compound known to increase your brain's production of adrenaline and dopamine, both of which elevate mood. Not only does chocolate make you feel great with its delicious flavor and melt-in-your-mouth goodness, but it is scientifically linked to better mental disposition! Fine quality dark chocolate is the healthiest option...however - (of course, there's a 'however'!) - it is best to consume no more than one ounce a day...
Too much of a good thing can, indeed, be a bad thing.
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