Food and Mood |
By Dr. Tom Wnorowski
First published at www.MohrResults.com, July 2007
Hey, when you guys spill something onto the floor (counter, tablecloth, chair, new shirt…), do you try to wipe it up before you get caught? I know it isn’t the dog whose reprobation sends shivers up your spine. Golly, he’ll probably be glad to help you hide the evidence. After this, or after an even greater gaffe, do you sometimes think that chocolate candy might smooth the situation? Have you ever wondered why chocolate is the offering of choice? There is a physiological rationale: neuropeptides. These are neurotransmitters that can modify mood.
You’ve heard of the endorphins that flood the brain to give joggers, for example, a “high.” These chemicals bind to the same receptors that bind exogenous opiates. And they are found in, yep, chocolate. Elevated levels of endorphins ameliorate pain, boost mood, and appear to affect behavior. They enhance the feeling of well being. You might be one of the lucky guys who actually convinces his wife to eat the chocolate instead of tossing it, thereby enhancing his own well being.
Serotonin is another of chocolate’s palliative constituents. Decreased levels of this neurotransmitter have been implicated in the etiology of depression. In such individuals the transport of serotonin is modulated by antidepressants, although their complete neurobiological mechanism is not fully understood. It would take large amounts of chocolate to control a clinical case, but an ounce here and there does bolster mood. Also known as 5-HT, serotonin may ease headaches, vague muscle pain, carbohydrate cravings, and other maladies. Other food sources include whole grains, bananas, fish, potatoes, squash, and corn. These contain tryptophan, an amino acid that needs carbohydrates for its assimilation so that it may help the brain to make more serotonin.
A third all-star in chocolate’s bag of goodies is called phenylethylamine, a peptide that decreases anxiety. Purportedly, this is the factor that equates chocolate with romance, although the confectionery industry probably had something to do with its public relations. It has been argued that this substance is broken down in the gut before it reaches the brain. If it works, though, who cares?
Does this make chocolate good for us? Argentinean research has found that adults who eat chocolate have higher levels of antioxidants in their blood, due primarily to the bean’s flavonoids. Don’t walk away thinking of chocolate as health food, though. It isn’t. One hundred grams of processed chocolate might have fifty grams (12 teaspoons) of sugar and up to thirty-seven grams of saturated fat. Remember, calories are calories.
Some foods help a person to feel alert, energetic, and driven. Certain protein foods, such as peanuts, almonds, avocados, lima beans, seeds, chicken, and dairy contain the amino acid, phenylalanine. This is converted into tyrosine which the brain uses to make norepinephrine, a neurotransmitter that helps to fight boredom and lethargy. If carbs are calming and proteins are energizing, how do you maximize the benefits? Your energy level and your mood will improve, and some researchers say if you eat the chicken first and the carbohydrate next, you’ll maximize those benefits. Try it out!
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