Feeling the winter blues? It may be your food

The cold and gloom of winter often bring with them a change in mood that matches the climate. Need a boost? According to new research, some foods have the same effect on your body as taking a prescription mood-enhancing drug.

Do you reach for food or caffeine during the day in an attempt to feel calm, find a jolt of energy or a moment of bliss? But above all else, do you just really crave a better mood?

While good habits such as eating breakfast every morning and regular meals and snacks throughout the day form the cornerstone of an energized outlook, science has increasingly revealed the ways that food impacts our mood. And it might surprise you that some of the best weapons to help cure crankiness and boost energy can be found in your local grocery store.

The following foods will help your mood in two ways. First, they deliver some key nutrients that help support brain chemistry to reduce the risk of depression and help improve sleep quality. And equally important, they provide powerful combinations of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to help build up your energy and capacity to handle life from your body’s deepest levels (your cells’ metabolic and energy pathways). This is what we should aim for, not the quick burst of stimulation from sugar or caffeine that ultimately leaves you cranky or tired.

Make these feel-good foods a part of a new happiness and health routine.

Dark chocolate: High in magnesium, a mineral that calms your muscles and reduces anxiety, dark chocolate also contains tryptophan, which helps reduce symptoms of depression.

Salmon and walnuts: Packed with Omega-3s, which help fight off depression and mood swings, salmon and walnuts also can help improve memory and focus.

Spinach: This leafy green is stocked with folic acid, a B vitamin that has been found to boost your mood. It’s also an antioxidant that works to protect your brain cells from free radicals, which can lead to low energy and mood swings.

Chicken: White meat contains B-12, a vitamin that helps to keep you calm. Low B-12 levels can make you moody and tired.

Tofu: Calms your body by helping your muscles relax.

Avocado: Contains serotonin, a feel-good neurotransmitter. It’s also really good for your skin, hair and nails.

Greek yogurt: Not only is it a wonder-food, its probiotics help boost your mood and immune system.

Green tea: Full of theanine, an antioxidant that acts as a calming agent.

Berries: Blueberries, strawberries and raspberries contain anthocyanidins and anthocyanins — nutrients that help reduce stress and depression.

Chia and flax seeds: They have about the same amount of protein per ounce, at 4.4 grams and 5.1 grams respectively. However, chia is one of just a few plant sources that is a complete protein, meaning that it contains all of the needed protein-forming amino acids. Both are a great way to get more fiber in your diet, but chia has the edge: an ounce gives you 10.6 grams of fiber, or 42 percent of your recommended daily intake, versus 7.6 grams and 31 percent for flax.

These seeds also provide different types of fiber. Chia is one of the richest sources of soluble fiber, the kind that takes longer to get through your digestive tract, which adds bulk and slows glucose absorption. The fiber in flax has been tied to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol. In fact, research has shown an association between daily flax consumption and lower cholesterol.

GOOD MOOD SALAD

Serve a tall glass of green tea along with this mood-enhancing salad, and follow with 2 ounces of dark chocolate as a sweet finish to lift your mood and nourish body and mind!

8 ounces smoked salmon, roughly chopped or 8 ounces of cooked chicken breast, roughly chopped

1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced

4 cups baby spinach

1/2 cup fresh blueberries

1/4 cup light feta or blue cheese crumbles

1/4 cup toasted, chopped walnuts

1/2 one medium red onion, thinly sliced

Toss all ingredients together until combined. Drizzle or toss with Greek Yogurt Dressing (recipe follows). Makes two servings.

Greek Yogurt Dressing

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

4 ounces of soft, silken tofu

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon chia or flax seeds

1 tablespoon honey

2 teaspoons stoneground or grainy mustard

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

Using a blender or a whisk, stir together all ingredients until combined and emulsified. This dressing will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for seven days. (Additional information provided by Kate Geagan, RD, author of “Go Green Get Lean”; nutritionist Stephanie Middleberg, RD; and nutritionist Heather Bauer, RD, CDN.)

Angela Shelf Medearis is an award-winning children’s author, culinary historian and the author of seven cookbooks. Her website is divapro.com. Recipes may not be reprinted without permission from Angela Shelf Medearis. © 2014 King Features Synd. Inc. and Angela Shelf Medearis