Right, been feeling a bit flat & lethargic for a week or two…

I eat a pretty well balanced diet (most of the time)… but there is room for improvement, so I am increasing my fruit & veg intake…..any other good ‘happy’ foods I should be eating… ?

Donuts

From the 1st link I googled

The secret is in choosing foods rich in omega-3 fats, folic acid, selenium, and vitamin B12. These nutrients can lift your mood.

1) Milk, preferably skim milk. Milk products are rich in tryptophan, an amino acid our brain needs in order to make serotonin. Serotonin is a natural chemical that makes us happy and calm. Anti-depressants work in a similar way by conserving the brain’s serotonin. Milk also contains antioxidants, vitamin D, and vitamin B12 that help fight stress and aging. Have some skim milk every day. It’ll make you happier and the calcium content is good for your bones, too.

2) Chocolate. Who needs an excuse to eat chocolate? Not me. Chocolate contains anadamine, a brain chemical that helps brighten our mood. Scientists believe that other chemicals in chocolate cause anadamide to stay longer in the brain, thus enhancing its positive effect. The sugar in chocolate also boosts our levels of endorphins, another hormone that makes us happy. Don’t eat too much, though.

3) Rice, bread, noodles or pasta. Here’s our favorite comfort food – carbohydrates. Don’t believe all those low-carb diets; they can actually make you crabby and gloomy. Eating carbohydrates can increase our serotonin levels, which has a calming effect. But to prevent sudden jumps in your blood sugar, choose healthier carbohydrates like brown rice, wheat bread, and vegetables. These good carbos are digested more slowly and make you fuller and possibly happier for a longer time.

4) Oily fish like salmon, mackerel, sardines. Oily fishes are loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, which can lift our mood. A study in Finland shows that people who eat more fish are less likely to be depressed. High doses of omega-3 may even be used to treat clinical depression. Most fish are also packed with vitamin B6 and B12, which are involved in the production of serotonin. As an alternative, you can try omega-3 supplements. Foods rich in omega-3 will not only make you happier, they’re good for the heart and brain, too.

5) Bananas. Bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin. And we know that serotonin is a hormone that makes us cheerful. Bananas contain carbohydrates as well to boost our energy. Its high potassium content also prevents cramps and it’s good for exercising individuals. Experts believe that bananas are one of the world’s healthiest fruits. So take two bananas a day to keep the doctor away.

6) Broccoli. Broccoli is another amazing food that is full of vitamin Bs, the vitamin that helps fight stress. Studies show that folate or folic acid in broccoli can improve our temperament. Aside from lifting our spirits, broccoli is a potent anticancer food, proven in laboratory studies to inhibit cancer cells.

7) Spinach. Popeye’s favorite food! If you want to be so full of zest like Popeye, it pays to eat your spinach. Like broccoli, spinach is packed with folic acid, an important B vitamin for making serotonin, the body’s feel-good chemical. It’s about time we taught our kids about this incredible vegetable. Eat a cup of cooked spinach to obtain approximately 250 micrograms of folic acid. This amount is enough to make you feel like Popeye, full of vigor to face the day.

8) Blueberries. Blueberries are abundant in antioxidants and vitamin C, which are known stress-busters. Antioxidants help remove toxins (called free radicals) that circulate in our body. These free radicals damage our organs and cause us to age faster, that’s why we need to remove them. Blueberries are also loaded with fiber, which is good for digestion. Some studies show that blueberries and strawberries may prevent cancer by removing these destructive free radicals.

9) Beans and soybeans. Beans are packed with soluble fiber, folic acid, and omega-3 fats, the three ingredients known to improve our mood. Beans are also excellent sources of iron and calcium, which can increase our red blood cells, and are good for the bones. Moreover, soy contains genistein, a weak estrogen-like substance, which may prevent prostate and breast cancer. If you like soy milk and taho, they’re good for you, too.

10) Nuts. Nuts are nutritional powerfoods, rich in protein, minerals (especially selenium), and omega-3 fats. Nuts also contain vitamin E, an antioxidant to fight stress. Locally, we have nilagang mani (boiled peanuts) and cashew nuts. Studies show that Brazil nuts are the number one source of the mineral selenium. Seafood is another good source of selenium. Aside from lifting our mood, nuts are considered as “brain food” because of their high content of omega-3 fats. Omega-3 helps improve the blood flow in our brain. (Students, take note.) Take an ounce of nuts every day. Don’t eat too much of them though, because nuts are salty and high in uric acid, which can be bad for those with high blood pressure and gout.

11) Coffee. A study from Brazil shows that people who drink coffee with milk every day are less likely to suffer from depression. Caffeine is probably the world’s most popular mood-enhancing drug. But it has its pros and cons. Coffee boosts your energy levels, makes you feel more alert, and can improve your memory. A single cup of coffee with milk in the morning can jumpstart your day. However, too much coffee can also wreck your disposition, cause heart palpitation and anxiety, and make it difficult for you to sleep. A cup or two a day is okay. Small doses of caffeine can improve your mood but too much coffee can be bad for your health.

Hash cakes.

Blueberry doughNuts and coffee it is then… you’ll be as happy as a pig in…

If you’re serious about it, go for the iDave diet.

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Job done 😉

Lol@rootes.

I never knew milk had antioxidants in it.

Also, bananas contain lithium I think which is an anti-depressant of some kind.

Me and Mrs Grips have a wonder meal that we eat to perk ourselves up. It’s a big f-off steak with (oven) chips and a big helping of broccoli and spinach. Really makes you feel a whole lot better in the morning 🙂

Molgrips if those are frozen chips try these…

Pre-heat oven to 220
Pour some olive oil on a baking tray.
Cut a couple of big spuds into chips
Add 3 cloves of peeled, slightly crushed garlic gloves.
2 sprigs of rosemary, scattered about the chips.
Salt & pepper to taste.
Bit more olive oil over the top
Cook for 30 mins, turn once.

Never eat frozen chips again.

I’d go for a brown Derby.

Doughnut/Ice cream and Chocolate – The king of happy foods.

Never eat frozen chips again.

I quite like frozen oven chips – the big fat ones are great.

But I also do a version of your recipe sometimes – chop potatoes into small cubes, shallow fry in olive oil with garlic until tender then sprinkle over fresh (or dry if it is all you can get your hands on) thyme and cracked salt. A bastardised version of something I once had in a Gordon Ramsey restaurant once based on what I assumed he had done. I think they are nice 🙂

Tell ya M_F try those with a rare fillet steak and a cream/ white wine and pepper corn sauce… nice bottle of red… that’s got happy food written all over it!

If I was cooking a fillet and drinking wine I wouldn’t do frozen chips!

But last night I had reheated chili and frozen chips blathered in vinegar – great comfort food 🙂

I use oven chips because they are easy. I could faff about with cooking if I wanted to 🙂

For example, cut the spuds into 1cm cubes, toss them in a pan with loads of olive oil, some paprika, black pepper and a little chilli to taste.

Very very nice.

Oh just realised that’s what MF posted bar the seasoning 🙂

2.5 hours till dinner and I’m salivating like one of Pavlov’s dogs.

Bastards.

When people write about the chemical properties of food in isolation it makes me think they’ve missed a trick…

Another potato one I recently did – thin slices of WAXY potato, equally thin slices of onion, layer in a dish and alternate with cheese, salt and pepper and a bit of milk.

I guess it is a dauphinoise-esque thing but I have never looked at a recipe for that – I tend to guess and mess around

OP- Homemade pizza works for me, it’s ace.

Dauphinoise requires cream and gruyere IIRC.

Now I just need to work out how to combine spuds with dice tuna for this evening.

Dauphinoise requires cream and gruyere IIRC.

Yeah probably – I did say I guess it is a dauphinoise-esque thing but I have never looked at a recipe for that

And I always take the view that recipes are an idea of what you can do, not direct instructions*

*Unless it is cake-baking then follow it to the letter and measure things accurately.

Sorry wasn’t correcting you.
TBH I prefer the sound of yours than the heart-attack that is dauphinoise.
I’m just bloody hungry and sitting at work waiting for one phone call 😆

When people write about the chemical properties of food in isolation it makes me think they’ve missed a trick…

Maybe they just have an additional trick, understanding the biology of food AS WELL as the aesthetic aspects.

I doubt many sciency types are fully oblivious to the human pleasure of eating.

Little tabs of sugar enhanced chemicals, eat a bag in under 30s and feel the rush

Where do you get those tear and share (not) skittles from? Not seen them!