Top 10 Foods That Give You Energy: Mood-Boosting Foods
This International Happiness Day, we’ve selected our pick of mood boosting food from Chef Plate’s delicious and nutritious menu. By picking out exactly which healthy foods to eat to improve both your wellbeing and energy levels, these recipes have been carefully created to leave you with a smile on your face.
This International Happiness Day, we’ve selected our pick of mood boosting food from Chef Plate’s delicious and nutritious menu. By picking out exactly which healthy foods to eat to improve both your wellbeing and energy levels, these recipes have been carefully created to leave you with a smile on your face.
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Chefs Plate Pulse Diet Recipes
“Try a wide variety of pulse-based recipes to determine which ones your family enjoys the most,” Dr. Chilibeck suggests. “Pulses can easily be incorporated into salads, soups, spaghetti sauces, chilli, or other meals.” Pick and choose from these pulse-based recipes for a satisfying meal that will keep you sustained all day long. Lentils, pulses and beans make an ideal substitute for protein in a vegetarian and vegan diet too.
More Food To Improve Mood
Gather energy from balanced meals every four hours or so instead of depending on a short surge from sugary snacks. Our blood sugar spikes with every sugar high, in turn, setting off a release of insulin which sends our blood sugar tumbling back down again. Maintain a consistent flow of energy by choosing balanced meals that combine carbohydrates and protein with a small amount of healthy fats. Each of these healthy recipes contains hero mood-boosting ingredients - simply select the meals that you would eat on a ‘good day’
Key Ingredient #1: Black Beans
With a healthy combination of plant-based protein and fibre, beans can help to slow down how the body’s glycogen levels respond to a meal, in turn helping to maintain steady energy levels. Plus, with the most protein per gram compared to other plant-based foods, beans can help you to stay fuller for longer due to their high-fibre credentials.
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Key Ingredient #2: Cannellini Beans
High in protein and naturally low in fat, sugar and salt - cannellini beans help to absorb the dish’s flavours while providing a guaranteed source of energy.
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Key Ingredient #3: Lentils
Simply a superfood, lentils are a type of pulse containing Vitamin B6 (low levels of which have been connected to depression) whilst being primed with fibre and protein. In fact, just one portion of pulses made up of three heaped tablespoons makes up a sixth of the protein that you need in a day.
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Key Ingredient #4: Chickpeas
An ideal alternative to meat, protein-rich chickpeas ensure that any vegetarian diet still contributes towards healthy muscle growth by providing a strong source of energy production.
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Key Ingredients #5 & #6: Sesame Seeds & Salmon
Positively loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, the salmon is packed full of nutrients that provide energy and can even help to tackle feelings of depression and anxiety. By coating the fatty fish in sesame seeds, the tryptophan-rich seeds support serotonin production which can help to relieve tension and relax the body.
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Key Ingredient #7: Brown Rice
For a hit of serotonin, choose fibre-rich brown rice that can help to release the feel-good chemical for a mood boost. Thanks to its nutrient-rich credentials, brown rice contains even more nutritional value than its processed white counterpart.
Key Ingredient #8: Sweet Potato
Supplying magnesium, iron and Vitamin C - these serotonin-producing, antioxidant-rich and carbohydrate-filled potatoes can help to enhance both your mood and energy levels.
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Key Ingredient #9: Avocado
Brimming with healthy fats, avocados help your body absorb nutrients, protecting against any harmful free-radicals. Add in Vitamin C and antioxidants, and you have a fruit practically designed to boost both wellbeing and mood.
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Key Ingredient #10: Eggs
Tap into a steady source of sustained energy by incorporating Vitamin B6-rich eggs into your daily diet, and turbo boost your body’s enzymes as the vitamin works to help convert food into energy.