Mood food
Reem Leila considers the rights and wrongs of comfort food
How many times have you reached for a chocolate bar in search of solace? Probably more than you would like to admit. The scientific fact is that your mood is affected by the foods you eat. After all, food fuels the body, and the type of food we eat affects our metabolism, digestive process and overall well-being. And so the deep rooted associations: the caricature of a woman drowning her loneliness in chocolate ice-cream or the notion of having warm milk before bedtime to induce sleep.
Sally Za'louk, a sales manager with a diploma in nutrition, has discovered that certain foods cause bizarre thoughts, as well as irrational behaviour. "Watch out also for disturbing dreams. Food sensitivity is not confined only to the waking hours. When you have had a nightmare, just ask yourself this question: What did I have for dinner?" says Za'louk. Some of the offending foods on her list include honey, guava, pineapple, tea, coffee, lemon, carrots, fermented milk products, grapes and pears.
And you can test yourself. Keep a notebook and enter the foods you eat on a given day and your subsequent mood. You will see a connection. Remember that the effect of a food is more pronounced if it is consumed on an empty stomach, on a regular basis or taken in large quantities.
Your body will invariably react against unhealthy foods. For example, you are liable to feel sluggish after a meal of fried food. According to Farouk Shahine, a dietitian at the National Institute of Nutrition, caffeine consumption is one of the most immediate ways to influence mood, as it is the only food substance that actually mimics the body's stress response. "Caffeine increases heart rate and blood pressure, and causes a release of stress hormones to prepare oneself for the fight or flight response that was built into the body's genes as a form of self-defence. In small doses, less than 300 milligrammes, or about the amount found in two cups of coffee or a big chocolate bar, caffeine can act as a stimulant, creating higher awareness and energy in the short term," says Shahine. However, the overuse of caffeine can cause, according to Shahine, feelings of anxiety, mild tremors or an upset stomach.
With the exception of caffeine, alcohol and some synthetic food additives, it is usually the proportions of carbohydrates, fat, protein and fibers in a diet that can send moods swinging.
Also some research has shown that a very fatty meal -- irrespective of its calorie content -- can cause sleepiness, as well as some sort of comforting effect. Fat came out on top in a series of experiments exploring the effects of food on pain perception carried out by Tareq El-Shazli, a professor of nutrition in the Qasr Al-Aini Faculty of Cairo University. El-Shazli found that people who had eaten a high-fat meal an hour-and-a-half before having their hands immersed in ice-cold water felt less pain than those who had eaten a low-fat meal.
El-Shazli has also found that carbohydrates boosted the potent brain chemical serotonin -- a neurotransmitter that controls mood, sleep and appetite, and, when levels are elevated, helps you feel more relaxed and calm. Here is how it works according El-Shazli: the glucose in high- carbohydrate foods triggers the release of insulin. This in turn allows the amino acid tryptophan to reach the brain by blocking other competing amino acids, stimulating the production of serotonin. "When people feel down they tend to go for foods that are not only high in carbohydrates, but are also high in processed sugar and fat. Unfortunately, they go for the wrong foods for the right reason," he explained.
So what should people eat when they need an emotional boost? Experts advise NOT to eat foods like candy for your carbohydrates fix -- you could end up feeling fatigued and unsatisfied. "You could get the same boost and crawl out of the hole with whole grains, air-popped popcorn, a whole-wheat bagel, potatoes or even corn," explains El-Shazli. These foods foster the same feelings of relaxation and tranquillity, without the guaranteed sugar crash. "Your mood should begin to change noticeably in about 45 minutes," he assures.
Dietitian Ahmed Abul-Gheit suggests eating protein-rich food as a meal or snack. Protein raises the level of amino acids and phenylalanine, producing neurotransmitters and dopamine which act like mental adrenaline. Protein can be found in non-fat dairy products, such as cottage cheese, yogurt or milk, beans, egg whites, peas, nuts, soy products, skinless chicken, fish or lean beef.
If you have a poor memory or chronically feel tired and do not know why, you can improve your memory with foods containing thiamin, found in liver, fortified cereals, milk, bran, wheat germ, dark green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits and seafood. While pasta, spinach, sunflower seeds, chili peppers, garlic, cooked oysters, crackers and bread are all useful for fighting depression.
Abul-Gheit recommends a power breakfast before leaving the house: a few ounces of protein to keep you sharp and good quality carbohydrates, such as low-fat cereal -- not a doughnut -- to keep you calm and satisfy your hunger.
