If single foods could end frequent allergy woes or make everyone slim and happy, grocery stores would have to ward off a massive amount of desperate shoppers on a daily basis. While we (thankfully) haven’t reached that point yet, science promises to bring a chain of food and nutrients that will benefit us in the long run.
According to Dariush Mozaffarian, MD, associate professor of cardiovascular medicine at Harvard Medical School, diet affects our long and short-term health especially when it comes to obesity, diabetes and heart disease. He adds, “Eat a variety of healthy foods, rather than focus on one magic bullet.”
Here are the list of 7 happy and healthy foods that you should pick up on your next visit to the grocery store.
1. Clams
A small dose of iron-packed clams on a regular basis can be immensely healthy. Clams contain high levels of vitamin B12 – the vitamin responsible for lessening anxiety levels and depression.1
Since the brain requires it to make dopamine and serotonin, depressed individuals with low levels of B12 usually feel better after taking B12 supplements.
Bonus cla(i)m: even canned clams can give you a good B12 boost. If you think you can’t have clams every day, don’t worry. You can easily get the vitamin from other seafood variety such as salmon or milk and other dairy products.
2. Oysters
Oysters are, hands-down, nature’s richest sources of zinc. A 2013 randomized clinical trial proved that zinc can reduce anxiety levels and improve mood. The experiment involved 44 people with depression. Those who were given a 25 mg zinc supplement along with an antidepressant enjoyed a ‘happier mood’ over the 3-month study period.
In order to keep yourself zinc-dated, get your daily dose of fresh oysters from the fish market and embrace life, happily!
3. Coffee
While coffee drinkers are generally thought of as hot-headed (sometimes even ‘snobbish’), recent research has proved that your regular cabinet java can actually induce positivity in individuals. One study proved that coffee consumed early in the morning was responsible for pleasant feelings, kindness, and positive energy.
Another study found that women who consumed more than 2 cups of coffee a day were at a lower risk of developing depression over the span of 10 years, compared to those who took less than one cup.2 Coffee is socially tied with affection, good friendship and satisfaction and when sipped leisurely, the few bonafide cups of joy can induce feelings of internal calmness and tranquility.
4. Legumes
Peas, beans, and peanuts are considered to be the main sources of magnesium – involved in more than 300 biochemical reactions in your system that generate energy for bodily function. Forrest H. Nielsen, Ph.D., a research nutritionist in the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service, explains that when you exercise, magnesium is redistributed throughout your body to help energy molecules get where they’re needed.
Get more legumes in your life; heavily packed with nutrients and consistently associated with living longer.
5. Yogurt
Yogurt is taken as one of the cultured dairy products that enhance the growth of probiotic bacteria in your gut. A comprehensive UCLA study found that women who consumed probiotic yogurt every day were less likely to react stressfully to fear or anger.
But how does it work? The traditional probiotic stance of yogurt firmly establishes a content view of life by making your brain have regular chats with the gut via the vagus nerve. The oh-so-good bacteria might be spreading a chill-out-and-live message throughout the body in this way.
6. Dark Chocolate
We are sure that the word ‘dark chocolate’ must bring a smile to your face. Fortunately for you, scientific research has backed its immense ‘happy health’ benefits. The various antioxidants in dark chocolate relax your blood pathways; lowering blood pressure and improving overall circulation.
One such 2014 study found that consuming an ounce of dark chocolate a day for two weeks lessens an individual’s stress levels.3 Why it is really amazing – Dark chocolate is packed with magnesium, a mineral that helps to calm PMS symptoms in women such as untimely fatigue and irritability. Moreover, dark chocolate’s unique, natural substances, known to trigger feelings of euphoria, can make you fall in love with life!
7. Green Tea
While herbal remedies are effective in a staunch weight loss process, one cup of green tea a day can be responsible for soothing your daily stressed-out mental reserves. A 2016 Japanese study, conducted with more than 40,000 people (all factors such as age, sex, medical history accounted for), found that those who consumed five or more cups of green tea a day were at a lower risk of being psychologically stressed, compared to those who drank one cup or less.
The best part: Green tea is also fantastic in smoothies, marinades, soups, and numerous sauces! So, pick up some green tea the next time you visit a supermarket. I’m sure many of us would feel happier digging into a scoop of ice cream or a juicy burger than a bland-looking bowl of nuts.
The strange truth, however, is that not all ‘happy’ foods appear delicious. These simple, everyday ingredients might seem uninteresting, but they secretly hack our bodies into feeling content.
By following a healthy eating habit with the foods mentioned in this article, you can ensure a pleasant and healthy life!
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