Mood Food

Find out which “superfruits” put us into a good mood and improve our overall well-being

We like to engage in some research as to what effects our tasty fruits actually have on us. So in our “Mood Fruit” series, we try to uncover their amazing secrets.

Last year, Dr. Tamlin Conner, Dr. Caroline Horwath and Bonnie White from the Department of Human Nutrition at the University of Otago, New Zealand, carried out a study with almost 300 young adults which showed a direct link between being in a good mood and eating about 7 – 8 servings of fruits and vegetables each day. So because we love the fact that fruit does not only taste great but also has awesome effects on our body & mind, we would like you to get to know 4 fruits that will almost instantly put a smile on your face and even more:

1. The ultimate source of fitness and high energy: bananas

What's good enough for athletes competing in challenging tournaments surely is more than good enough for us! Bananas are little powerhouses because as we eat them the complex carbohydrates they contain are converted into glucose, resulting in both a physical and mental energy boost! Who is ready for the next marathon (meeting)? ;-)

2. Who has the happiest brain? With figs, you do!

In today's food industry brain health claims are part of a new growing segment that allows manufacturers to develop functional products based on their mood-boosting properties. Figs are probably one of the best examples for “mood foods” as they are guaranteed to lift your mood and simultaneously improve your brain power. Figs are high in potassium which helps our brain cells do their job, as well as vitamin B6 which plays an important role in the neurotransmitter system (we are talking dopamine and serotonin!). Moreover, figs contain considerable levels of manganese, a mineral that helps to prevent damage produced by free radicals.

3. Blueberries: from blues to blue

Not only do blueberries love to impress with their unique taste but they are probably also one of the most effective foods when it comes to good humor. In an experiment with yet another group of young adults, scientists have successfully proven that eating 1.5 cups of blueberries has remarkable effects on one’s mood as well as memory capacity and decision-making. In just as little as 5 hours, the so-called “mood scores” rose by 15%! That’s about as easy as it gets! Experts believe that this is due to the anthocyanins, flavonoids found in the berries, which are mainly responsible for fighting inflammation. Need another reason to eat blueberries? 1.5 cups of them already cover 40% of your daily needs of vitamin C.

4. Plums: true beauty comes from within

The daily look in the mirror and what we see there is, of course, immediately linked to the way we feel. Therefore, it is only natural that we look for fruits with a high amount of antioxidants which fight free radicals and help improve our skin. So what to chose? In general, you should let color be your guide. Purple, blue, red or orange fruit contains the highest amounts of those “super ingredients”. Plums, both fresh and dried, are an abundant source of antioxidants, making them one of nature’s very own beauty products. Numerous studies have already proven that fruit has considerable anti-aging effects, further stressing the fact that fruit is the ultimate “functional food”. 

Don’t you already feel better knowing that the superpowers of fruit make us both fitter and healthier? Exactly! And that is why we feel that all of the above mentioned fruity heroes should be called “superfoods” – because that is exactly what they are!