10 Foods That Can Help Boost Your Mood

Who doesn’t love cozying up with a steamy bowl of pasta? Why is pasta salad always the first thing to go at a cookout? Eating healthy carbs like pasta releases serotonin — a feel-good chemical that the nervous system uses to send messages to and from the brain. Yes, pasta is healthy and for more reasons than just serotonin. Keep the portions sensible (about 1 to 1 1/2 cups cooked) and mix it up between regular pasta and whole-grain varieties.

Bursting with brain-boosting and heart-helping omega-3 fats, salmon is a whole-body health food. According to several research studies, those omega-3s can also help fight off a lousy mood.

Tasty and versatile beans are teeming with folate. Research has linked low levels of this B-vitamin to higher rates of depression. Add beans to soups, salads, pasta or tacos with or without meat — you can stretch your dollar by adding this affordable, plant-based protein.

A vegetarian way to help increase your intake of those inflammation-fighting and mood-lifting omega-3 fats. Tiny but mighty, chia seeds are more versatile than you might think — add to smoothies, oatmeal and granola and use to thicken fruit purees, dressings and sauces.

Another legume to love — try fiber-filled lentils in a cold salad or simmer up some dal, an Indian dish made with lentils or split peas (another folate-rich legume).

From parfaits to smoothies, from pancakes to salad dressings, yogurt is a versatile staple in any kitchen. Choose a yogurt that is fortified with plenty of vitamin D. Research has linked deficiencies of vitamin D to increased symptoms of depression.

Like yogurt, fermented foods including kefir, kimchi, kombucha and some pickles offer up coveted probiotics a.k.a. healthy bacteria that help your gut thrive. Not only do these tummy-pleasing bacteria help digestion, but there’s a growing amount of research to support that a healthy gut contributes to a better mood.

It’s no surprise that chocolatey goodness elevates your mood, but there’s science to back it up. Not only can that sweet flavor make you smile, the prebiotics found in dark chocolate also offer benefits to gut health.

Crunchy carbs like popcorn (also a whole grain) pack an instant burst of feel-good serotonin. Flavor up your popcorn with B-12 filled nutritional yeast or inflammation-fighting herbs and spices for a healthy boost.