the effect of food on your mood

The Effect of Food on your Mood

Jessie Jin

Orcutt Academy High School

Frosh Core

Picture chocolate.

What do you feel?

What is serotonin?

• The changes in our diet can

chemically and physiologically alter

our brain structure, thus changing our

behavior.

• Serotonin – a neurotransmitter in the

brain, digestive tract, and the central

nervous system

Although some foods don’t have

a great effect, certain foods can

boost your mood because they

contain certain substances, such

as tryptophan and omega-3s.

Tryptophan

• Nonessential amino acid

• Studies have shown a link between a

lack of tryptophan and depressive

symptoms.

How does it affect our mood?

• More serotonin is synthesized (made)

• Moods improve

Foods with Tryptophan

• Protein

• Soy products

• Dairy products

• Seeds and nuts

• Whole grains

• Fruit

• Veggies

Chart

What do you like to do

when you're upset?

Sleep

Exercise

Eat

• The graph shows

that 35% of the

survey takers said

that they like to eat

when they are

upset.

Omega-3s

• Fatty acids

• Low levels of omega-3s have been linked with depression, pessimism, and impulsivity.

• Depression rates are lowest in Japan, where oily fish are common in their diet.

Omega-3s appear to affect

neurotransmitter pathways in the brain

Good Sources

• Salmon

• Sardines

• Mackerel

• Walnuts

Rate the following foods

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

Totally

Yummy

I like this

I guess I'll

eat this

Terrible

• As the graph shows,

many people say

that all three

choices are very

tasty. These three

foods all can boost

your mood.

Conclusion

• While these foods probably don’t have

a massive effect, they certainly help.

• You are what you eat!

• A vicious cycle

Remember that chocolate you imagined at the beginning?

• “chocoholics”

• Drug-like addiction

• Phenylethylamine=“chocolate amphetamine”

• Lots of neurotransmitters released

Works Cited

Works Cited Brill, Alison. Mass Public Health Blog. 17 October 2012. Web. 10 February 2014.

Chitale, Radha. ABC News. 5 March 2008. Web. 10 February 2014.

Haupt, Angela. US News Health. 31 August 2011. Web. 10 February 2014.

Hopf, Sarah-Marie. Dartmouth Undergraduate Journal of Science. 2 February 2011. Web. 10 February

2014.

Magee, Elaine. WebMD. 12 December 2009. Web. 10 February 2014.

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