Crying for food?

Who knew that the emotional upheaval in your mind might be due to an insufficient diet?

Have you ever heard of the saying ‘you are what you eat?’ This old English phrase might have given you a good laugh before but according to the latest research, it is completely true! The food you consume has a direct impact on your emotions, and not just emotions related to hunger but real ones too.

According to the research, published recently in the Journal of Health Psychology, what you eat actually affects your feelings. For instance, foods rich in trans-fats and hydrogenated oil inculcate negative emotions. The research was conducted on 4,992 foodies who showed that people who eat most trans-fats are more likely to be negative people and out of touch with their emotions. Moreover, they are more likely to exercise infrequently. Thus, trans-fats, already criticised for increasing cholesterol levels and risk of cardiovascular disease, may actually be taking a toll on your emotions and stress levels as well.

If you want to control your emotions, it’s time to avoid heavy foods. Some everyday items that have been proven to beget ill-feelings include:



Doughnuts: You may love these delicious, round goodies but unfortunately, there is only one way they are cooked and that is frying. If you want to indulge in a heart-healthy diet, choose something else, such as whole-grain toast, English muffins or fruit and yogurt.



Microwave popcorns: These are the yummiest and easiest options for late night snacks but they are also loaded with salt, high-cholesterol butter and other unhealthy ingredients, including trans-fats.



Margarine: Many people wrongly believe that margarine is a better option compared to butter. But the real deal is that most margarine, especially the stick-shaped ones, are rich in unhealthy trans-fats.



Mixings: Be it the aromatic cookie dough or smooth cake batter, readymade mixes bought from grocery stores make for quick and easy desserts but are also high in trans-fats. So if you want to bake a cake, do it from scratch.

Published in The Express Tribune, Ms T, June 21^st, 2015.