Your moods, emotions and perception of pain are controlled by a network of proteins, hormones and genes within your brain. A disruption or imbalance of any of these factors can affect your mood, alter your behavior, and potentially increase your risk of mental illness. One way your body maintains your mental health and emotional well-being is through the release of endorphins -- chemicals that boost your mood to make you feel happy. A number of foods can trigger an increase in your endorphin levels and positively affect your mood.
Dopamine
One endorphin released by eating is dopamine, a type of neurotransmitter. Dopamine allows your nerve cells to relay chemical signals, and the release of dopamine within your brain can help boost your mood, as well as aid in memory and learning. Consuming chocolate can stimulate dopamine production in your brain, temporarily increasing dopamine signalling in the emotional center of your brain. Though its effects are short-lived, due to the rapid destruction of the dopamine-boosting chemical in chocolate, consuming the treat occasionally might enhance your mood.
Serotonin
Another endorphin released following the consumption of specific foods is serotonin, another type of neurotransmitter. Serotonin signalling is important to proper mood regulation: low levels of available serotonin in your brain can contribute to depression, while healthy levels of serotonin signalling contribute to your emotional well-being. Consuming foods rich in tryptophan -- such as soy products or meats -- can contribute to serotonin production in your brain, helping to boost your serotonin endorphin levels.
Beta-Endorphin
Beta-endorphin is another endorphin released in response to eating. This chemical is among the most potent endorphins, and can cause a mood increase or "high" upon release, as well as help to dampen feelings of pain. Consuming sugar can trigger the release of beta-endorphin in your brain, potentially contributing to the "sugar high" experienced by some individuals after consuming a large amount of sugar.
Implications in Eating Disorders
The release of endorphins in your brain in response to certain foods can feel good in the short term, but can actually prove harmful for some individuals. Consuming endorphin-releasing foods like sugar can trigger the pleasure center of your brain -- a region involved in the development of addiction, compulsive eating and eating disorders. A study published in "Neuro Endocrinology Letters" in 2003 notes that individuals suffering from obesity or anorexia nervosa both experience long-term changes in endorphin levels within their brain, linking endorphins to eating disorders. While consuming treats in moderation does not harm your mental health, relying on food to boost your endorphin levels and regulate your emotions can prove problematic and might lead to an eating disorder.
References
- University of Washington; Neuroscience for Kids - Sweet Mysteries of Chocolate; Ellen Kuwana; October 2010
- Franklin Institute; Nourish - Proteins; 2004
- Florida State University; Beta-Endorphin; 2004
- "Neuro Endocrinology Letters"; The Role of Neuropeptides in the Disturbed Control of Appetite and Hormone Secretion in Eating Disorders; B. Baranowska, et al.; December 2003
