10 Foods to Boost a Bad Mood

The foods that make up our diet can have a profound effect on our day-to-day lives, and I don’t just mean that junk food can make you fat. Our brains—and the rest of our bodies—are complex chemical engines. Deprived of vital nutrients, our brains can take it out on us in the form of a variety of mood imbalances from mood swings to depression-like symptoms. Experts agree: keeping your brain happy keeps you happy and can proactively combat pesky belly fat. From co-author of The Happiness Diet, Drew Ramsey M.D. lists these 10 foods to improve your mood and keep your brain and body healthy.


1. Dark Chocolate

Everyone knows that reaching for a chocolate bar makes you feel better, but there is science to back up those cravings. Unfortunately, the science also says that you only need a few ounces a day at the most so all of your friends were right: chocolate binging is bad for you.

Not only will chocolate improve your mood, but it will also improve blood flow, focus and clarity. To keep your chocolate consumption strictly as a mood aid, reach for dark chocolate instead of a milk chocolate alternative. Milk chocolate might be creamy and delicious but it’s mostly sugar and milk. Quality dark chocolate will have a higher concentration of the active ingredient cocoa and therefore be more effective without packing on extra calories for your day.