Hangry? Mood Foods + Eating Strategies

Ever heard or used the word Hangry? If so, you might know it is a real thing and turns out there is some science behind it. Our bodies and minds need nutrients and good nutrients specifically. It’s one thing to crave a big meal or a bottomless bag of your favorite snack. It’s another to be so ravenous that you are irritable and overreact to minor annoyances. That’s the difference between being hungry and being “hangry”. Simply put, it is a biochemical reaction to low blood sugar.

Gastroenterologist Christine Lee, MD has done a lot of research on this topic and says, “When you haven’t eaten for a while, the level of sugar (glucose) in your blood decreases,” she explains. “When your blood sugar gets too low, it triggers a cascade of hormones, including cortisol (a stress hormone) and adrenaline (the fight-or-flight hormone). These hormones are released into your bloodstream to raise and rebalance your blood sugar.”

There are a lot of ways to prevent this from happening and honestly they are not things that require large dietary or lifestyle changes. Try a few of these eating strategies and see how it goes.

• Exercise
• Eat Breakfast (Moodfiy oats are full of fiber and date sugar that combat glucose spikes)
• Stay Hydrated
• Lay off the junk foods
• Try to get more sleep

Also, try incorporating the foods into your diet as well. We’ve included a lot of them in Moodify Instant Oatmeal (don’t worry, we left the salmon and leafy greens out of our oatmeal).

• Bananas
• Salmon
• Oats
• Leafy Greens
• Almonds
• Ginger
• Chocolate (yes!)
• Berries
• Coffee
• Probiotics

Have a look at the Moodify Ingredients page on our web-site for more information on how these ingredients can help improve your mood. Also, have a quick peek at this article for some tips on how to incorporate these ingredients into your diet.

https://www.culinarynutrition.com/mood-boosting-foods/