Beat The Blues With Food

17th Jun 2010

In my blog about fats, I talked about the impact of good fats on mood and a healthy brain.
There are some ways to improve mood through correct nutrition but I want to first talk about
some interesting statistics. In the UK about three million are officially “depressed” as per
diagnosis from a GP. A lot more than that are unhappy or just generally a bit down.

This puts the importance of correct nutrition into

perspective a little bit due to volume of people who are
potentially unhappy. I have already discussed sugar and
caffeine as possible factors as to why mood can be
influenced by what we eat, now I want to talk about
something called Tryptophan.

Tryptophan is a amino acid which is a constituent of

protein. I don’t want to get too technical but proteins are
made up of amino acids and Tryptophan is one.
Tryptophan is an essential amino acid which the body
must get from diet.

Tryptophan also makes up serotonin, which is the

neurotransmitter in the brain that helps regulate mood,
learning, sleep and appetite. As mentioned above,
Tryptophan isn’t produced in the body so the potential
lack of protein in most diets could be one of the reasons
for the statistics on mood levels the UK.

Now, going back to sugar for a moment, when we eat a

sugary meal, the body produces more insulin which in turn carries more Tryptophan to the
brain. This then produces more serotonin so mood is enhanced, however excess sugar can
lead to weight gain, which makes you unhappy or can create blood sugar imbalances’ which
can effect energy and mood. If you do crave sugar a lot this could mean a lack of serotonin.

I personally have found by eating a high protein and low refined carbohydrate diet, I have
seen the results on my motivation and mood. I eat a lot of protein rich foods, which also are
high in tryptophan. These are as follows:

 Turkey
 Eggs
 Chicken
 Cottage Cheese
 Fish

Raw oats are a complex carbohydrate rich in Tryptophan as well so porridge at breakfast is
a occasional option.
By eating the above foods with complex carbohydrates such as fruit, vegetables or sweet
potato, this helps transport the tryptophan to the brain and produce more serotonin and
potentially enhance mood.

Whilst it can be easy to get caught up in the biological aspects, a diet high in good fats,
protein and low in refined carbohydrates could be key to a healthy mind. Not only this, but it
could mean additional weight loss, which could also make you feel better!

It is always important to speak to a GP or nutritionist if you are unsure about fundamental

changes to your diet. A good quality personal trainer can give general guidance too.

Recommended source: Optimum Nutrition For The Mind by Patrick Holford

- John Hill, Inspiring Fitness Personal Trainer