Are Dopamine Foods Doing You Good?

We are all guilty of reaching for that bag of chips or chocolate treat that you think will make you feel better, but did you know there are feel-good foods that are clinically proven to do just that? Researchers are delving deeper into the way certain foods react with chemical messengers in the brain, increasing the production of feel-good chemicals in the body.

Any food that you enjoy and anticipate eating can release dopamine in the brain. And this varies per person. It’s important to note that the high you get from eating highly processed foods like candy, donuts, cookies, and fast foods high in sugar and fat are only temporary and can have negative effects on the overall levels of dopamine in the body. So, while processed foods may feel good in the moment, they don’t increase dopamine production in the brain needed to keep the high long-term.

When added to your diet, dopamine foods help support brain function and mental health, along with a healthy balanced lifestyle. But what we reach for during stressful times isn’t what will make you feel better in the long run. Here’s how it works. Dopamine is a chemical messenger or neurotransmitter that plays a crucial role in some bodily functions. It’s released in the body when we experience pleasure, reach certain milestones, or achieve goals. During exercise, it’s responsible for smooth and coordinated movements, and low levels of dopamine are a key factor in the development of Parkinson’s disease. Dopamine is also essential in the learning process and the storing of information. It also helps motivate the completion of tasks, even when challenging.

Levodopa is an amino acid that is a key part of the chemical reaction that makes dopamine that’s derived from another amino acid, tyrosine. The body can naturally produce tyrosine if the diet is full of foods that contain the amino acids needed to do so.

So what foods are best to release all the good feels? It’s not just about that hit of something sweet or salty!

• Eggs- whole or egg whites
• Dairy- milk, cheese (cheddar, Swiss, gouda, parmesan, mozzarella), yogurt
• Nuts- almonds, cashews, peanuts, pecans, walnuts, pistachios, macadamias, hazelnuts
• Seeds- pumpkin, sesame, sunflower, hemp
• Meat- beef, pork
• Poultry- chicken, turkey
• Fish- tuna, salmon, grouper
• Legumes- black beans, fava beans, lentils

Adding dopamine producing foods to your diet can help make you feel good, but they aren’t the only answer. Prioritizing a balanced lifestyle with regular exercise, adequate sleep, minimizing stress, and meaningful connections will keep you feeling good more regularly and improve mental health.