6 Foods that contain serotonin can make your mood better

Do you often have bad moods or moods? Maybe all this time your food selection is wrong. Yes, food can also determine a person's mood. So that the mood is always good, you should choose foods that contain serotonin. Then, what exactly is serotonin? What foods contain serotonin?

What is serotonin?

Serotonin is a chemical in the brain that acts as a messenger between brain nerves. Reported on the Healthline page, it is believed that serotonin can make the mood better and maintain it throughout the day.

The reason is, high serotonin levels can make a happy and happy mood. Therefore, serotonin is also known as a substance that regulates emotions and memory.

Although you actually can't get serotonin completely from food, there are many foods that contain certain substances and can increase brain serotonin.

So, tryptophan aino acid in food is the basic ingredient of the serotonin hormone in the body. The amino acid tryptophan is an essential amino acid, which is an amino acid that cannot be produced by the body, so this amino acid is needed from intake.

How much tryptophan is needed to increase serotonin is not known with certainty. If there is a decrease in the level of the amino acid tryptophan in the body, the amount of serotonin levels is affected. This condition makes mood disorders such as depression or anxiety easier to occur.

How can food affect serotonin levels?

Foods high in tryptophan will not work alone to increase serotonin. Carbohydrates are needed which can help the formation of serotonin.

The presence of carbohydrates that are already in the form of simple sugars in the bloodstream causes the body to release more insulin. This insulin promotes the absorption of amino acids, and leaves tryptophan in the blood. The tryptophan in the blood is then absorbed by the brain. And it is used for the formation of serotonin.

Various foods that contain serotonin (the amino acid tryptophan)

1. Eggs

Protein in eggs can significantly increase tryptophan levels in blood plasma. It is the same with the egg yolk. Egg yolks are also rich in tryptophan, tyrosine, choline, biotin, and omega-3 fatty acids, and other nutrients.

2. Milk and processed products

Milk is one of the animal proteins which also contains tryptophan. However, tryptophan levels in milk, cheese, and yogurt are not as high as tryptophan in meat and fish.

3. Shrimp

Shrimp are also rich in the amino acid tryptophan which can help the formation of serotonin. In 113 grams of shrimp contains about 330 mg of tryptophan.

4. Know

Tofu is a source of vegetable protein which is rich in the amino acid tryptophan. Tofu can be the right choice if vegans or vegetarians are looking for a source of the amino acid tryptophan. Tahun also contains calcium which is good for bone health.

5. Salmon

This one fish, there is no doubt about its benefits. Besides being famous for its omega 3 fatty acid content, salmon is rich in the amino acid tryptophan. Salmon is also another benefit of maintaining a balance of cholesterol levels and helping to lower blood pressure.

6. Nuts and seeds

All nuts and seeds contain tryptophan. A handful of nuts a day can lower the risk of developing cancer and heart disease. Nuts and other seeds also contain tryptophan levels.

Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, cashews, almonds contain an average of more than 50 mg of tryptophan as much as ¼ cup. In addition, nuts also contain fiber, vitamins and antioxidants.