Mood Foods – My Mood My Foods

INGREDIENTS & ADDITIVES

- G.Pandidurai, Lavanya. A and Muruli N.V

INTRODUCTION

Food plays an important role in our dayto-day life. It not only gives us energy but is also associated with our mental well-being. Nutritious food is utilized by our body to grow, repair and function properly. Besides that, our brain also needs nutritious food for better functioning. In fact, our brain requires around 20% of the total daily energy requirements. From vitamins and minerals to healthy fats and fibre, all nutrients play a crucial role in maintaining brain health. Over the past centuries, the world has progressed and modernised. However, this has come at a price, a negative impact on the general mental health. This has led to mood swings, irritability, difficulty in concentration and many other issues. Our diet has a major impact on these symptoms. Healthy pattern of eating is associated with better stress management, improved sleep quality, increased concentration, and better mental well-being in general.

Food choices affect our physical and mental state as we are more likely to follow a healthy diet pattern when we are in a good headspace. Dietary changes can bring about changes in our brain structure, which can then alter our behaviour and affect our minds too. By incorporating foods shown to bring about positive changes in brain, we can enhance our well-being. Nowadays social media is constantly bombarding us with the latest diet patterns which will get our bodies and mind in the ‘perfect’ shape. Here, we will relate the effect of diet on our mental health with proper examples of good mood foods.

GOOD MOOD