Food affects mood because some nutrients induce
good feelings while a lack of nutrients can cause poor mood. These
effects are particularly noticeable in some children who are sensitive
to food additives and ingredients, including many who have attention
deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. Offering your child a
well-balanced and varied diet filled with foods from each food group is a
good way to stabilize her mood.
Nutrition and Mood
A diet full of junk food doesn't provide your
child with the nutrients his brain needs for healthy neurotransmitter
function. This can alter mood because if your child's neurotransmitters
are lacking in fuel they cannot adequately transmit messages that
control his feelings. Some children are more susceptible to the mood
alterations that occur with a poor diet and may experience depression or
feelings of being down in the dumps. This can affect learning,
relationships and behavior.
Good Mood Foods
When a child's diet is made up of mostly
nutritious foods, she is more likely to be in good spirits most of the
time. Complex carbohydrates, like those found in whole wheat bread and
pasta, whole grain crackers and cereal, brown rice and oatmeal, can calm
a child because they don't cause large fluctuations in blood sugar.
Foods that release dopamine, a brain chemical associated with feelings
of happiness, can improve a child's mood and when eaten regularly serve
to stabilize it. Good choices include chocolate, bananas, milk, chicken
and leafy green vegetables. Children who suffer from minor bouts of
depression may experience an alleviation of symptoms by consuming
caffeine, reports Middle Tennessee State University. Increasing intake
of folic acid, omega-3 fatty acids and selenium can also prevent
feelings of depression; food sources include tuna, salmon, spinach and
sunflower seeds.
Bad Mood Foods
Foods that contain a lot of salt, sugar or
fat are ones that can produce bad moods in children. The specific foods
that cause a child to suffer a poor mood varies and some children may be
more sensitive to the effects of an unhealthy meal. A food diary can
help you determine which foods your child should avoid or limit. In
general, foods that are common culprits are fast food, soda, candy,
cookies, chips and frozen dinners. These foods often contain refined
carbohydrates, which release more stress hormones, disrupting a child's
mood.
