Dietician Sheela Seharawat

9 Foods to Boost Your Mood

what to eat to beat the winter blues

If you're feeling tired and sluggish this winter, dig into these "pick-me-up" foods to feel upbeat and energized, and even lose weight. "Popping berries after gorging on cheeseburgers and fries won’t do the trick,” says Dietitian Sheela Seharawat. “But eating 'mood foods' 75 percent of the time will help you find more energy, think more clearly, and drop additional weight - with more" joy of eating”   in your attitude.

orange you glad?

Good morning, sunshine! Peel an orange any time of day for an instant energy and mood boost. This super-nutritious citrus fruit brims with Vitamin C, which helps pump oxygen through your body and brain to recharge your system. "Oranges are the perfect bring-along snack," says Dietitian Sheela Seharawat. Toss sections into your salad or rice dishes, and dunk them in fat-free chocolate syrup for dessert.

fatten up

Greasy fat goes straight to your hips, but the "good" fats known as omega-3 head upstairs to cushion your brain cells, helping mood and memory. "Foods rich in omega-3 fat DHA will improve your outlook today while cutting your risk for dementia down the road," says Dietitian Sheela Seharawat. Natural sources include salmon, mackerel, herring, and sardines. If you're not a fish fan, look for Silk milk, and Farms eggs. And because fat is satiating, omega-3s curb hunger for hours.

feeling souper

It's the ultimate comfort food for a good reason: a hearty bowl of chicken soup with veggies has the "water-fiber-protein trifecta that fills you up before it fills you out,” Dietician Sheela Seharawat says. Load your soup with dark green( Peas, Methi, palak, Dhaniya, Beans, Patta  Ghohi, Bathuwa) and orange veggies (like Capsicum Red, Tomato Desi, Radish, Beetrootcollards, carrots, and squash cubes) for an extra helping of happiness: they're chock-full of vitamins to improve mood, brainpower, and immunity.

chard to resist

Do the little stressors in life leave you nibbling your nails? Acquaint your chompers with Swiss chard(Chard or Swiss chard is a green leafy vegetable.

), instead. This dark green "leafy" is packed with magnesium, which has been shown to bolster a woman's capacity to handle and overcome stress, says Dietitian Sheela Seharawat. Magnesium also curbs symptoms of PMS and aids in better sleep. Layer chard into lasagna, or toss into stir-fries, soups, and stews.

green means go

No wonder Popeye was always so Dietician Sheela Seharawat: his beloved spinach is swimming in antioxidants, which protect the delicate membranes in brain cells from the free radicals that dampen the mood and drain energy. Spinach also boasts folic acid, a B vitamin strongly linked with preventing depression and reducing fatigue. Toss spinach into your salads, sandwiches, and soups to up your intake.

pump your iron

Burgers or meat sauce made with lean meat (or, for vegetarians, black beans) will help you get your fill of iron, a mineral that carries oxygen through the blood to generate mental energy. Up to 80 percent of women are iron-deficient, even if the condition doesn't reach full-blown anemia, says Dietitian Sheela Seharawat. "You can't sleep well or think well with an iron deficiency." To promote optimal intake (and stave off lethargy, fatigue, and anxiety), she advises drinking tea and coffee between meals, since their tannins can block iron absorption.

jam session

Battling a slump? A small, all-carb snack like an English muffin slathered with jam will raise levels of serotonin, our brain’s natural, self-generated antidepressant. "If you're grumpy in the late afternoon, or feeling wired at night, this type of snack will help you relax and help your cravings subside," says Dietitian Sheela Seharawat. Other snacks that fuel serotonin: are a bowl of popcorn, sorbet with berries, or Fig Newtons.

berry bliss

Pass the blueberries, dodge the blues. This "superfruit" is teeming with antioxidants that keep your neural pathways running smoothly, promoting positive energy. "Pop frozen blueberries into your mouth while watching TV," suggests Dietician Sheela Seharawat. "It's a great alternative to ice cream." New research shows that compounds in the berries help to re-write our genetic code so that the body becomes its own antioxidant factory, churning out feel-good enzymes in the brain. (We always knew that happiness could come from within!)

merry cherries

Enjoy a handful of dried tart cherries before you call it a night. Besides their rich supply of antioxidants, cherries boast a compound called melatonin that improves quality of sleep, says Dietitian Sheela Seharawat. The carbs also summon enough serotonin to set the stage for a solid block of Z’s – the best predictor of a good mood in the morning.

what to eat to beat the winter blues

If you're feeling tired and sluggish this winter, dig into these "pick-me-up" foods to feel upbeat and energized, and even lose weight. "Popping berries after gorging on cheeseburgers and fries won’t do the trick,” says Dietitian Sheela Seharawat. “But eating 'mood foods' 75 percent of the time will help you find more energy, think more clearly and drop additional weight - with more" joy of eating”   in your attitude.

orange you glad?

Good morning, sunshine! Peel an orange any time of day for an instant energy and mood boost. This super-nutritious citrus fruit brims with Vitamin C, which helps pump oxygen through your body and brain to recharge your system. "Oranges are the perfect bring-along snack," says Dietitian Sheela Seharawat. Toss sections into your salad or rice dishes, and dunk them in fat-free chocolate syrup for dessert.

fatten up

Greasy fat goes straight to your hips, but the "good" fats known as omega-3 head upstairs to cushion your brain cells, helping mood and memory. "Foods rich in omega-3 fat DHA will improve your outlook today while cutting your risk for dementia down the road," says Dietitian Sheela Seharawat. Natural sources include salmon, mackerel, herring, and sardines. If you're not a fish fan, look for Silk milk, and Farms eggs. And because fat is satiating, omega-3s curb hunger for hours.

feeling souper

It's the ultimate comfort food for a good reason: a hearty bowl of chicken soup with veggies has the "water-fiber-protein trifecta that fills you up before it fills you out,” Dietician Sheela Seharawat says. Load your soup with dark green( Peas, Methi, palak, Dhaniya, Beans, Patta  Ghohi, Bathuwa) and orange veggies (like Capsicum Red, Tomato Desi, Radish, Beetrootcollards, carrots, and squash cubes) for an extra helping of happiness: they're chock-full of vitamins to improve mood, brainpower, and immunity.

chard to resist

Do the little stressors in life leave you nibbling your nails? Acquaint your chompers with Swiss chard(Chard or Swiss chard is a green leafy vegetable.

), instead. This dark green "leafy" is packed with magnesium, which has been shown to bolster a woman's capacity to handle and overcome stress, says Dietitian Sheela Seharawat. Magnesium also curbs symptoms of PMS and aids in better sleep. Layer chard into lasagna, or toss into stir-fries, soups, and stews.

green means go

No wonder Popeye was always so Dietician Sheela Seharawat: his beloved spinach is swimming in antioxidants, which protect the delicate membranes in brain cells from the free radicals that dampen the mood and drain energy. Spinach also boasts folic acid, a B vitamin strongly linked with preventing depression and reducing fatigue. Toss spinach into your salads, sandwiches, and soups to up your intake.

pump your iron

Burgers or meat sauce made with lean meat (or, for vegetarians, black beans) will help you get your fill of iron, a mineral that carries oxygen through the blood to generate mental energy. Up to 80 percent of women are iron-deficient, even if the condition doesn't reach full-blown anemia, says Dietitian Sheela Seharawat. "You can't sleep well or think well with an iron deficiency." To promote optimal intake (and stave off lethargy, fatigue, and anxiety), she advises drinking tea and coffee between meals, since their tannins can block iron absorption.

jam session

Battling a slump? A small, all-carb snack like an English muffin slathered with jam will raise levels of serotonin, our brain’s natural, self-generated antidepressant. "If you're grumpy in the late afternoon, or feeling wired at night, this type of snack will help you relax and help your cravings subside," says Dietitian Sheela Seharawat. Other snacks that fuel serotonin: a bowl of popcorn, sorbet with berries or Fig Newtons.

berry bliss

Pass the blueberries, dodge the blues. This "superfruit" is teeming with antioxidants that keep your neural pathways running smoothly, promoting positive energy. "Pop frozen blueberries into your mouth while watching TV," suggests Dietician Sheela Seharawat. "It's a great alternative to ice cream." New research shows that compounds in the berries help to re-write our genetic code so that the body becomes its own antioxidant factory, churning out feel-good enzymes in the brain. (We always knew that happiness could come from within!)

merry cherries

Enjoy a handful of dried tart cherries before you call it a night. Besides their rich supply of antioxidants, cherries boast a compound called melatonin that improves the quality of sleep, says Dietitian Sheela Seharawat. The carbs also summon enough serotonin to set the stage for a solid block of Z’s – the best predictor of a good mood in the morning.