We started our search by typing "food and serotonin" into the Yahoo! search field. We scanned the results and clicked on a web page from Go Ask Alice.
One of the questions asked of Alice -- who is actually a team of Columbia University health educators and health care providers -- had to do with which foods put the mood-altering chemical into a person's system. The answer cautions that attempting to raise serotonin levels through eating alone is tricky, because people often react differently to similar foods. However, the site states:
Carbohydrate-rich meals often increase serotonin levels... Believe it or not, candy and sweets, which are simple carbohydrates, have the greatest impact, but the effect will only last 1 - 2 hours. Complex carbohydrates (rice, potato, pasta) may increase serotonin levels, but not to the same extent because the protein content of these foods might actually inhibit serotonin production.
We headed back to the search results for more details. We wanted to find some specific examples of foods that increase serotonin levels.
An article on how food alters your mood from ParentsPlace.com suggests that carbohydrates trigger the release of insulin into the blood stream, which clears all the amino acids from the blood, except tryptophan. When competitors are out of the way, the tryptophan floods the brain, where it's converted to serotonin. Whole-grain breads, crackers, pasta, rice, cereal, and fruit all have the potential to increase your serotonin level.
Serotonin is synthesized from the amino acid tryptophan. Thus to produce serotonin, you need tryptophan. Tryptophan is an amino acid that you can only obtain by consumption. Therefore you want to consider eating foods containing sufficient levels of tryptophan to help replenish your serotonin levels each day. The following is a list:
Cottage cheese.
Brown rice.
Avocados.
Bananas.
Walnuts.
Tomatoes.
Soy protein.
Meat.
Turkey is probably the highest serotonin containing food. Eat turkey to help increase serotonin levels.
2. Starchy carbohydrates such as pasta, bread, and so on can stimulate production of serotonin. Starchy vegetables, mainly vegetables grown below the ground, such as carrots, potatoes, and so on can stimulate the production of serotonin. These starchy carbohydrates have the ability to decrease the levels of amino acids in the bloodstream, but may actually increase the levels of tryptophan. Tryptophan competes with many other amino acids for transport in the body. If tryptophan is not adequately transported, due to competition with other amino acids for transport, then sufficient tryptophan may not be available for serotonin synthesis. There are 20 amino acids that humans need each day. The starchy carbohydrates decrease 19 of them, except tryptophan. Thus starchy carbohydrates, when eaten at the proper times, can help increase serotonin levels.
a. Proper times to eat starchy carbohydrates to help increase serotonin levels: Starchy carbohydrates stimulate production of serotonin. They do not produce serotonin. Thus if you eat too many starchy carbohydrates, you can over stimulate serotonin production, resulting in diminished serotonin levels. Therefore you want to consider eating in a way that helps maintain proper serotonin levels. The cycle for serotonin is the sleep cycle. Thus you want much of your serotonin production to occur in the evening, to help produce sleep and the proper cycles of sleep. Therefore you want to limit your starchy carbohydrates in the daytime. They will stimulate serotonin production, thus depleting serotonin levels. The proper time to consider eating starchy carbohydrates is in the evening, helping your body to stimulate serotonin production and getting your body ready for sleep. You should consider eating serotonin producing foods daytime and nighttime, but especially in the nighttime, to ensure you have sufficient serotonin available for your sleep cycles. You can laboratory test your serotonin levels to see if they are normal or not normal
2006-07-27 22:24:10
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answer #1
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answered by jennifersuem 7
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Turkey, bananas, milk, yogurt, eggs, meat, nuts, beans, fish and cheddar, gruyere and Swiss cheese. They have tryptophan which is a precursor to serotonin.
2006-07-27 22:25:43
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answer #2
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answered by Anonymous
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The 'Pleasure Center' of the brain is activated by a number of foods and activities
Ex: chocolate, sweet fruits (berries), red wine, sex, golf, etc...
anything that is enjoyable, as well as drugs of abuse
2006-07-27 22:27:15
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answer #3
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answered by Anonymous
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False! I will get 13 points all together ;D You should know why..haha
For the best answers, search on this site https://smarturl.im/aDAg2
2016-04-14 00:45:49
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answer #4
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answered by Anonymous
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