If you have a “down” and it is difficult for you to determine where it came from, perhaps it is not caused by your mental condition, but by an improperly composed menu. It turns out that what we eat changes our mood. Although food in itself can be pleasurable and soothe the nerves (a warm meal, especially after a stressful day, is like “balm for the soul”), there are products that significantly worsen the well-being.
If our kitchen is dominated by highly processed and caloric products, it is obvious that we will face problems with overweight and various diseases. Such information is normal for us and not surprising, but the influence of food on mood is not only about health issues. Well, it turns out that some additives and products affect our nervous system in an unfavorable way. Eating various delicacies, we do not realize that they can cause our depression, irritability and depressed mood. What to avoid to be in control of your well-being:
- dyes – they’re all over the place. In fact, their only function is to improve the appearance and color of food and drinks, and yet there is only a small percentage of products that do not contain these chemicals. Unfortunately – they are present even in these seemingly healthy treats – cereals, sports drinks, etc. According to research, they can cause various unpleasant effects: hyperactivity, hyperactivity in children, impulsiveness, a sense of anxiety, problems with concentration. Look for products with natural dyes in stores (but not “natural identical”, it’s not the same!).
- aspartame – we can find it in various types of “fit products”, e.g. Coke without sugar. People avoiding sugar easily fall into the trap of aspartame, wanting to replace it with something low in calories, but at the same time sweet. Unfortunately, although the vision of low-calorie sweets sounds tempting, there are links between the effects of aspartame and the occurrence of cancer, headaches, migraines, and fatigue. Therefore, it should be consumed with caution and moderation.
- Hydrogenated oil – that is, fats added to food. They are very cheap and allow some products to be edible for many months. That is why they are so widely used in the food industry. We find them in sweets, unhealthy food (such as chips), fast food, snacks, and even in many restaurants, because they do not make the kitchen smoky. They increase the level of cholesterol in the blood and make us fat, and also make us feel tired, we do not have the strength to think and we are simply sluggish. No wonder – the body spends all its energy digesting this harmful substance.
- Monosodium glutamate – the fashion for the lack of glutamate in food did not come out of nowhere. The purpose of this substance is to enhance the taste, smell, giving the impression that what we eat is tastier than it really is. It also gives us headaches, migraines, body weakness, anxiety, and nausea. We find it in ready-made spice mixes, food additives, meat and fish products, ready-made sauces, instant dishes and powdered soups.
- White flour – lack of nutritional value, many calories and raising blood glucose levels – these are the three deadly sins of this ingredient. After eating white flour products, we feel hungry again sooner, so it causes constant appetite and, as a result, irritability. In addition to avoiding rolls and white bread, also check in restaurants that soups and sauces are not made on the basis of this substance.