Serotonin is an important brain chemical that helps to elevate your mood and stop you from feeling down or depressed.
In addition to chemical substitutes, there are numerous natural ways to increase Serotonin levels to get feeling happy, fulfilled, and energized again.
Unfortunately, there are a lot of myths surrounding food and increased levels of serotonin. These myths include: Foods rich in tryptophan automatically boost serotonin. This is false. Most foods that contain tryptophan, an amino acid, compete with other amino acids to be absorbed by the body's transport system.[1] Eating a lot of turkey, which is rich in tryptophan, will not automatically give you more serotonin.
Eating a lot of bananas will automatically boost serotonin. Bananas do contain serotonin. That serotonin, however, is unable to cross the blood-brain barrier and be absorbed by humans.[1]
Complex carbohydrates are absorbed by the body differently than simple carbohydrates. Simple carbs like white rice and white bread raise your blood levels quickly, causing a spike in insulin, which drops after a while.[2] Complex carbs are absorbed more slowly by the body and therefore avoid the massive peaks and troughs brought upon by simple carbs. Complex carbs[3] include:
Legumes like peas and lentils
Whole grain breads
Whole grain pastas
Brown rice
Starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes and parsnips
Simple carbs include:
White bread
White rice
"Normal" pasta
Cakes, candies, and other refined sugar products
Caffeine suppresses serotonin, which could also help explain why it's a hunger suppressant as well.[2] Energy drinks contain large amounts of sugar, which the body processes quickly, but which produce an energy-zapping low after the insulin has finished surging. If you have to drink caffeinated products, wait until after you've eaten, as doctors recommend.
Omega-3 fatty acids are hypothesized to affect the functionality of serotonin in the brain. People with low serotonin levels commonly have low DHA levels, which is an essential building block in the brain, and which needs to be replenished with foods such as fish oils, which are high in omega-3 fatty acids.[4] Look for omega-3 fats in: Fish, such as salmon, and fish oils
Nuts, seeds and seed oils, such as flax seed oil
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2. • Serotonin is an important brain chemical that
helps to elevate your mood and stop you from
feeling down or depressed.
• In addition to chemical substitutes there are
numerous natural ways increase Serotonin
levels to get feeling happy, fulfilled, and
energized again.
4. Understand the serotonin/food
myths.
• Unfortunately, there are a lot of myths surrounding
food and increased levels of serotonin. These myths
include: Foods rich in tryptophan automatically boost
serotonin. This is false. Most foods that contain
tryptophan, an amino acid, compete with other amino
acids to be absorbed by the body's transport system.[1]
Eating a lot of turkey, which is rich in tryptophan, will
not automatically give you more serotonin.
• Eating a lot of banana will automatically boost
serotonin. Bananas do contain serotonin. That
serotonin, however, is unable to cross the blood-brain
barrier and be absorbed by humans.[1]
6. Shun the simple carbs and embrace
the complex carbs.
• Complex carbohydrates are absorbed by the body differently than simple
carbohydrates. Simple carbs like white rice and white bread raise your blood levels
quickly, causing a spike in insulin, which drops after a while.[2] Complex carbs are
absorbed more slowly by the body and therefore avoid the massive peaks and
troughs brought upon by simple carbs. Complex carbs[3] include:
– Legumes like peas and lentils
– Whole grain breads
– Whole grain pastas
– Brown rice
– Starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes and parsnips
• Simple carbs include:
– White bread
– White rice
– "Normal" pasta
– Cakes, candies, and other refined sugar products
7.
8. 3
Avoid caffeinated foods, especially
energy drinks.
• Caffeine suppresses serotonin, which could
also help explain why it's a hunger
suppressant as well.[2] Energy drinks contain
large amounts of sugar, which the body
processes quickly, but which produce an
energy-zapping low after the insulin has
finished surging. If you have to drink
caffeinated products, wait until after you've
eaten, doctors recommend.
9.
10. 4
Eat healthy fats, such as omega-3
fatty acids.
• Omega-3 fatty acids are hypothesized to affect
the functionality of serotonin in the brain. People
with low serotonin levels commonly have low
DHA levels, which is an essential building block in
the brain, and which needs to be replenished
with foods such as fish oils, which are high in
omega-3 fatty acids.[4] Look for omega-3 fats in:
Fish, such as salmon, and fish oils
• Nuts, seeds and seed oils, such as flax seed oil
11.
12. 5.Eat dark chocolate.
• Eating dark chocolate improves serotonin
levels partly because of
resveratrol.[5]Resveratrol boosts both
endorphins and serotonin levels. Remember
to reach for dark chocolate instead of milk
chocolate, as milk chocolate contains far less
cocoa (the stuff that produces serotonin) than
dark chocolate.[6]
