3. What is serotonin?
• The changes in our diet can
chemically and physiologically alter
our brain structure, thus changing our
behavior.
• Serotonin – a neurotransmitter in the
brain, digestive tract, and the central
nervous system
4. Although some foods don’t have
a great effect, certain foods can
boost your mood because they
contain certain substances, such
as tryptophan and omega-3s.
6. How does it affect our mood?
• More serotonin is synthesized (made)
• Moods improve
7. Foods with Tryptophan
• Protein
• Soy products
• Dairy products
• Seeds and nuts
• Whole grains
• Fruit
• Veggies
8. Chart
What do you like to do
when you're upset?
Sleep
Exercise
Eat
• The graph shows
that 35% of the
survey takers said
that they like to eat
when they are
upset.
9. Omega-3s
• Fatty acids
• Low levels of omega-3s have been
linked with depression, pessimism, and
impulsivity.
• Depression rates are lowest in
Japan, where oily fish are common in
their diet.
12. Rate the following foods
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Totally
Yummy
I like this
I guess I'll
eat this
Terrible
• As the graph
shows, many
people say that all
three choices are
very tasty. These
three foods all can
boost your mood.
13. Conclusion
• While these foods probably don’t have
a massive effect, they certainly help.
• You are what you eat!
• A vicious cycle
14. Remember that chocolate you
imagined at the beginning?
• “chocoholics”
• Drug-like addiction
• Phenylethylamine=“chocolate amphetamine”
• Lots of neurotransmitters released
15. Works Cited
Works Cited
Brill, Alison. Mass Public Health Blog. 17 October 2012. Web. 10 February 2014.
Chitale, Radha. ABC News. 5 March 2008. Web. 10 February 2014.
Haupt, Angela. US News Health. 31 August 2011. Web. 10 February 2014.
Hopf, Sarah-Marie. Dartmouth Undergraduate Journal of Science. 2 February 2011. Web. 10 February
2014.
Magee, Elaine. WebMD. 12 December 2009. Web. 10 February 2014.
