This article discusses how healthy eating can make you happier by improving your physical and mental health. It explains that while unhealthy foods like cake and beer may provide a temporary mood boost, they contain preservatives and refined sugar that can damage your body over time. In contrast, a diet high in fresh produce ensures you receive proper nutrition. The article also notes that when stressed or unhappy, your nervous, digestive and cardiovascular systems are negatively impacted. However, eating nutritious foods provides vitamins and minerals to help these systems function properly and promotes benefits like weight loss and better mental health. In conclusion, making healthy choices about your diet can lead to feeling calmer, happier and more energetic overall.

1. READING TASK
HEALTHY EATING MAKES YOU
HAPPIER

2. INSTRUCTIONS
Read the text and answer the questions. This article is about how
choosing what eat can make you happier.
Make sure you understand the vocabulary and expressions. Check
your answers at the end!
GOOD LUCK 

3. VOCABULARY
Chugging down (v) – drinking (beer) without pausing
Unfavourable (adj) – expressing that you don’t like/support
something
Cardiovascular (n) – relating to the heart and blood vessel
Stomach pangs (n) – a sharp pain in the stomach
Scoff down (v) – eating quickly

4. HAPPINESS AND
HEALTHY EATING
Many will agree that biting into a moist slice of chocolate cake or
chugging down an ice-cold beer can instantly boost one’s mood.
However, these choices may not be the healthiest choices. Foods that
contain higher amounts of preservatives and refined sugar can
actually do more damage than good. Preservatives are substances
included in products to prevent decomposition, and refined sugar is
basically processed raw sugar. You don’t want large amounts of these
ingredients getting into your system, do you? Fresh produce is
without a doubt the cleanest way to get the proper nutrition you need
and this is why healthy eating can make you feel happier.

5. WHAT YOUR BODY GOES
THROUGH WHEN YOU’RE
UNHAPPY
When you’re placed under unfavourable
environmental situations, stress happens. This is
your body’s way of reacting and confronting
possible danger. And when stress happens, you
tend to find yourself incredibly upset. What you
may not know is that sadness can impact your
health.
Your central nervous system, digestive system, and
cardiovascular system are directly affected when
you are unhappy. You may begin to find it difficult
to concentrate or make simple decisions.
Headaches, sore muscles and stomach pangs will
come and go, but it is your heart that is at risk.
This can lead to more severe health conditions in
the future.

6. WHY HEALTHY EATING
CAN MAKE YOU FEEL
HAPPIER
Have you ever heard the saying, “You are what you eat?”
A nutritious and balanced diet means a well and
balanced you. A recent study on roughly 281 young
adults was conducted by doctors from Otago’s
Department of Human Nutrition. What they discovered
was a seemingly solid relationship between the food
you scoff down and your emotions. Participants
reported feeling calmer, happier and more energetic.
What people put into their body has long been
associated with their overall quality of life. This
explains why healthy eating can make you feel
happier. If you aren’t receiving the proper nutrients
from your diet, you will lack important vitamins and
minerals that particularly aid your body in operating
accurately. Your diet greatly influences the function of
your body’s systems. Eating healthy can also promote
other encouraging results like weight loss and
improved mental health.

7. QUESTIONS
1. What should you reduce eating so you don’t damage your system?
2. What’s the best way to get nutrients into your body?
3. What’s the reaction in your body when you are in situations you
dislike?
4. What can be at risk if your diet is poor?
5. What does “you are what you eat” mean? Explain in your own
words.
6. Your body won’t function properly if your body doesn’t have
enough ______ & ______.

8. ANSWERS
1. Preservatives & refined sugar
2. Fresh produce
3. Stress
4. The heart
5. Similar to this definition - Your body reflects what you eat. (For
example, if you don’t eat enough red meat, your iron is low)
6. Vitamins & minerals