11 Foods That Elevate Happiness and 9 Foods That Steal It

Content updated from previous publish date.

One of the secrets to happiness is to enjoy real happy foods (and beverages) that will make you feel better, not just in the moment but in the long run. Scientific evidence shows that many foods elevate moods, boost energy, and calm anxiousness and stress—the necessary ingredients for happiness. A wealth of research also points to a host of sad foods to avoid—the ones that dampen your mood, zap your energy, and ramp up tension.

HAPPY EATING RULE #1: CHOOSE FOODS THAT MAKE YOU HAPPY NOW AND LATER

The first and most critical rule of happy eating centers on consuming foods that make you feel good not only at the moment but also enhance your mood, energy, and physical well-being in the long run. This one simple eating strategy is the most important with respect to happiness. Think of common comfort foods like pizza, ice cream, or chips—they may give you a quick boost now but rob you of feelings of contentment later. In general, they are low-quality foods that have been scientifically engineered to taste so good that they trigger your brain’s “bliss point” and the release of some of the neurochemicals of happiness—such as dopamine—causing you to become addicted to them.

The Standard American Diet (aptly referred to as “SAD”) is filled with foods that are loaded with unhealthy ingredients and artificial chemicals that are detrimental to mental, emotional, and physical well-being. A growing body of research shows that the SAD diet is associated with:

• Depression: A study in Plos One found that unhealthy eating habits increase the risk for depression.
• Anxiety disorders: An animal study in Nutritional Neuroscience shows a link between a high-carbohydrate diet and anxious
• ADD/ADHD: A typical Western diet is associated with a greater chance of a diagnosis of ADD/ADHD.
• Dementia: Findings in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia point to increased cognitive decline when following a Western diet.

Decades of research have irrefutably concluded that an unhealthy diet is also associated with a heightened risk for physical ailments, including diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and cancer. After working with tens of thousands of patients over more than 30 years at Amen Clinics, it is clear that having any of these issues steals your joie de vivre.

9 SAD FOODS THAT STEAL HAPPINESS

Some foods are weapons of mass destruction because they are destroying the health and happiness of America and the world, as they are being exported around the globe. These are foods that make you happy now but make you feel bad, tired, anxious or stressed later. Sad foods include those that are:

1. Highly processed: A 2022 study in the journal Addiction shows that ultra-processed foods (those that are high in refined carbohydrates or added fats) are as addictive as tobacco.
2. Sprayed with pesticides: When your body, brain, and organs are being assaulted by pesticides, they can’t function at optimal levels. These food saboteurs can kill your mood and lead to feelings of depression, anxiety, and fatigue.
3. High-glycemic: Scheming food manufacturers may try to convince you that the sweet stuff delivers happiness, but it’s actually a mood killer. All forms of sugar—even natural honey or maple—cause blood sugar levels to spike and then crash. This negatively impacts mood; increases anxiousness, irritability, and stress; makes you feel fatigued; and causes cravings. Diets that are too high in sugar also promote inflammation, which is associated with depression and other issues that make you unhappy.
4. Low in fiber: Low-fiber foods contribute to blood sugar highs and lows that zap moods.
5. Food-like substances: Fake foods are a real threat to health and happiness.
6. Artificially colored and sweetened: Artificial dyes, preservatives, flavoring, and other additives have been associated with mood disorders as well as other issues. For example, monosodium glutamate (MSG)can trigger depressive and anxious symptoms among other disturbances, according to research. The evidence about Red Dye 40 is even more alarming. Do you think artificial sweeteners are giving you a quick boost of happiness without the downsides of sugar? Wrong! Studies have linked aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal) to depression, anxiety, irritable moods, and insomnia, as well as a host of other neurophysiological issues. Artificial sweeteners—including aspartame, saccharine (Sweet’N Low), and sucralose (Splenda)—can also lead to high insulin levels, which is associated with a higher risk for depression in addition to Alzheimer’s disease and a variety of physical ailments.
7. Laden with hormones: The meat and dairy industries have used hormones for years to increase milk production and accelerate growth, but these hormones can be detrimental to health and well-being.
8. Tainted with antibiotics: The food industry uses antibiotics to prevent disease in livestock, but that means you are consuming these medications too.
9. Stored in plastic containers: Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical found in plastic storage containers that can act as an endocrine disruptor.

11 HAPPY FOODS THAT BOOST MOODS

Research shows that some foods contain nutrients that elevate moods. They make you happy now . . . and later. Happy foods include:

1. Organic colorful fruits and vegetables, especially berries and leafy greens
2. Sustainably raised fish and meat
3. Nuts and seeds
4. Healthy oils
5. Eggs
6. Clean protein powders (sugar-free, plant-based)
7. Dark chocolate
8. Unprocessed foods
9. Organic foods
10. Low-glycemic foods (they don’t spike blood sugar)
11. High-fiber foods

If you want to increase your happiness, you must pay attention to what you put on the end of your fork!

Depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues can’t wait. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, clinical evaluations, and therapy for adults, teens, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here.