A recent survey by Gallup International measured the happiness levels of thousands of people all over the world. South Africans ranked 85th out of 149 countries. While it seems that South Africa has a lot to be unhappy about, we can take control of our minds by taking care of our bodies. As health research progresses, we are finding out that everyday foods could hold the key to unlocking our body’s natural cheerful chemicals, the hormones our bodies produce naturally.

The four hormones linked to happiness

Dopamine

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter in our brain. It plays a key role in body functions like motivation, mood, focus, and motor control. To boost dopamine production, we need food high in protein and L-tyrosine. That’s why not just any protein will do. L-tyrosine is an amino acid found mostly in proteins like eggs, chicken, and oily fish. Other foods that boost dopamine levels are apples, bananas, oranges, watermelon, strawberries, avocados, beets, tomatoes, green leafy vegetables, and some beans. A few pieces of dark chocolate now and then will also boost dopamine levels.

Serotonin

Serotonin is responsible for regulating our mood and promoting sleep. Low serotonin is often associated with depression. According to scientists, 90% of serotonin is produced in our gut, and an unhappy gut leads to an unhappy mind. To help maintain a happy and healthy gut, scientists are now looking at psychobiotics. Psychobiotics are a type of probiotic that have an influence on mental health and are found in fermented foods like yoghurt, kombucha, and kefir. These microorganisms show some promising benefits, including alleviating stress and depression, lifting our mood, and even boosting mental capacity. If you don’t like fermented food, you can improve your serotonin levels by upping your intake of the complex fibres found in fruit and vegetables. You can also eat some alternative proteins like eggs, nuts, seeds, tofu, or dairy products.

Endorphins

Endorphins are normally associated with the high we feel after exercising. Exercise is a great way to improve our mood. Research shows that endorphins are released after just 30 minutes of exercising. If you don’t feel like doing vigorous exercise, perhaps have a look at our article about alternative and fun exercise ideas. Endorphins also get a boost when we ingest cacao (an ingredient found in chocolate) and spicy chillies and peppers containing a compound called capsaicin.

 

Oxytocin

Oxytocin is best known as the love hormone. It helps us build strong relationships and feel empathy. Loving yourself and those around you increases happiness and your ability to feel empathy. Unfortunately, boosting oxytocin with diet is a bit trickier. Apart from eating foods that improve your libido, like figs, avocados, watermelon, and chocolate (yet again making our list), you can also try to cook for yourself or a loved one (or give your pet some extra attention). Yoga, spending time with friends, or being kind to strangers is another way to help boost your oxytocin levels.

 

Five types of foods to avoid

Lastly, although our favourite junk food can trigger a release of excess dopamine and serotonin, these foods will, in the long run, contribute to more mental health problems. Avoid alcohol, caffeine, processed sugars, saturated fat, and starchy carbohydrates.

Learn more about the link between food and happiness:
https://www.realsimple.com/health/mind-mood/mood-boosting-foods
https://www.theguardian.com/food/2019/mar/18/can-you-eat-yourself-happier-nutritional-psychiatry-mental-health
https://www.psychologytoday.com/za/blog/mood-microbe/201908/can-you-eat-yourself-happy
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/articles/good_mood_food
https://time.com/6344753/food-improve-mood-nutritional-psychiatrists/
https://www.buzzrx.com/blog/foods-that-increase-dopamine
https://www.banyantreatmentcenter.com/2022/03/29/dopamine-foods-boosting-your-mood-naturally-massachussetts/
https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-increase-endorphins
https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/more-evidence-that-exercise-can-boost-mood
https://lifesciencesintelligence.com/features/enhancing-mental-wellness-with-psychobiotics-the-gutbrain-connection