The Effect of Food on your Mood

Jessie Jin

Orcutt Academy High School

Frosh Core

Picture chocolate.

What do you feel?

What is serotonin?

• The changes in our diet can

chemically and physiologically alter

our brain structure, thus changing our

behavior.

• Serotonin – a neurotransmitter in the

brain, digestive tract, and the central

nervous system

Although some foods don’t have

a great effect, certain foods can

boost your mood because they

contain certain substances, such

as tryptophan and omega-3s.

Tryptophan

• Nonessential amino acid

• Studies have shown a link between a

lack of tryptophan and depressive

symptoms.

How does it affect our mood?

• More serotonin is synthesized (made)

• Moods improve

Foods with Tryptophan

• Protein

• Soy products

• Dairy products

• Seeds and nuts

• Whole grains

• Fruit

• Veggies

Chart

What do you like to do

when you're upset?

Sleep

Exercise

Eat

• The graph shows

that 35% of the

survey takers said

that they like to eat

when they are

upset.

Omega-3s

• Fatty acids

• Low levels of omega-3s have been linked with depression, pessimism, and impulsivity.

• Depression rates are lowest in Japan, where oily fish are common in their diet.

Omega-3s appear to affect

neurotransmitter pathways in the brain

Good Sources

• Salmon

• Sardines

• Mackerel

• Walnuts

Rate the following foods

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

Totally

Yummy

I like this

I guess I'll

eat this

Terrible

• As the graph shows,

many people say

that all three

choices are very

tasty. These three

foods all can boost

your mood.

Conclusion

• While these foods probably don’t have

a massive effect, they certainly help.

• You are what you eat!

• A vicious cycle

Remember that chocolate you imagined at the beginning?

• “chocoholics”

• Drug-like addiction

• Phenylethylamine=“chocolate amphetamine”

• Lots of neurotransmitters released

Works Cited

Works Cited Brill, Alison. Mass Public Health Blog. 17 October 2012. Web. 10 February 2014.

Chitale, Radha. ABC News. 5 March 2008. Web. 10 February 2014.

Haupt, Angela. US News Health. 31 August 2011. Web. 10 February 2014.

Hopf, Sarah-Marie. Dartmouth Undergraduate Journal of Science. 2 February 2011. Web. 10 February

2014.

Magee, Elaine. WebMD. 12 December 2009. Web. 10 February 2014.

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