In a bad mood? It may not be because of what's going on around you – but what you're eating.
Psychiatrist Drew Ramsey specializes in diet and how to avoid foods that can make you moody.
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- Agave nectar: it's usually billed as healthy, but instead it raises the risk of health problems. Better alternatives are 100 percent maple syrup and local honey.
- Holiday ham: Factory farms pump pigs full of antibiotics and inject them with sugar, salt, fillers and nitrate preservatives. Those ingredients can trigger low moods. Instead, swap it out for a different protein.
- Soda pop: After the initial sugar rush fades, so will your mood. Try adding organic fruit juice to water.
- Margarine: It's made up of high levels of omega-6 fatty acids, which change mood and affect healthy insulin. The healthier option is pastured butter.
- Vegetable shortening: This also contains omega-6 fatty acids. Swap it for pastured lard, which have fats that decrease the risk for depression.
- Potato chips: Another food full of omega-6 fatty acids. Try popcorn instead.
- Processed pumpkin seeds: They can contain a preservative called potassium bromate, which blocks iodine from the thyroid. Iodine regulates mood. Stick with home roasted or raw seeds.
- Bagels: They are packed with refined carbs that lead to an energy crash. Eggs are a better breakfast food because they have Vitamin B that will keep your energy up.
- Peanuts: They are packed with sodium and MSG. Try healthier nuts like walnuts, almonds and Brazil nuts – they contain omega-3, which is a brain stimulant.
- Sweet potato dishes: They often call for cups of sugar, which can lead to depression. Instead, eat naked sweet potatoes, which are paced with Vitamin A.