Did you know that you can make a diet plan which not only helps you shed your extra pounds but also boost your happy hormones (dopamine), ensuring not only a healthy living, but also a lifestyle that keeps you happy? Yes, you can be happy and slim at the same time. Hailed as a healthy eating plan with a side- order of ‘happy’, a dopamine diet plan is exactly what you should be opting for.
Let us talk a bit about the theory behind such a dopamine diet plan. This plan is based on the theory that consuming certain kinds of food boosts the production of the neurotransmitter dopamine. But what is dopamine? It is that chemical which impacts your brain’s reward centre and causes positive changes on your mood. You must have had that hit of pleasure right after eating a rich chocolate. Yes, that is the dopamine surge.
Often we think that fatty and sugary foods contribute to the increase of dopamine levels in our brain. However, that is not entirely true. Protein- rich meals also known to trigger your happiness, the credit goes to the amino acid tyrosine. Healthy sources of protein can deliver almost the similar kinds of rewards like sugary foods, ensuring the balanced diet and healthy lifestyle with fewer cravings and lower potential for overeating.
Let us take a look at the menu to kick off a healthy, dopamine diet, without having to compromise with our weight- loss goals.
You can also read: Good Mood Food that Uplift your Spirits
Dopamine Diet Plan: Meat and Fish
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Meat and fish are both rich in protein- which in turn means, rich in tyrosine. You can opt for the processed varieties like sausages and braised beef with horseradish. Furthermore, fish is rich in Omega 3, especially in varieties of Salmon. These are some of the best sources of dopamine.
Dopamine Diet Plan: Dairy
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Often referred to as Dopamine heroes, dairy products are rich in nutrients that stimulate this hormone within us. Some examples include full- fat cheese, milk, yoghurt, and double cream.
Dopamine Diet Plan: Fruits and Vegetables
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When it ever that you heard fruits or vegetables was are not healthy. Particularly when it comes to the leafy greens and bananas, they are positive for almost every diet, including your dopamine diet plan.
Dopamine Diet Plan: Eggs
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Once again, eggs are rich in protein and hence, are loaded with good old tyrosine, which in turn is one of the best dopamine booster.
Dopamine Diet Plan: Soya
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Soya has started to be increasing famous for sustainable vegan diets. Furthermore, it makes up the key ingredient for tofu, tempeh, miso soup and soya milk, holding immense nutritional value for our health. This is even often a great alternative to milk- based products. Not to forget, soya is perfect for dopamine boosts as well, besides your meat- free dietary habits.
Dopamine Diet Plan: Nuts and seeds
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Nuts such as walnuts and almonds are huge sources of nutrition which also act as dopamine boosters in our lives.
Chocolate
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When we say chocolate, it is not just any form of chocolate. Make sure you understand that it is the dark chocolate which can be whipped up for a dopamine- appropriate diet. Imagine a dark chocolate mousse with sesame almond biscuit- as delicious as it sounds, it is also probably one of the best sources of your next dopamine boost.
Pulses
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If you are vegan or vegetarian, and you are not sure if you will get enough dopamine boosters in your diet from the above list, do not worry. Pulse- based dishes cater for the needs of vegans and also allows you the perfect source for dopamine.
Furthermore, you must be aware that the dopamine diet plan constitutes of smaller portions and regular meals to keep the mood and blood sugar levels in check.
If you notice carefully, the dopamine diet plan prominently lacks carbohydrates. Though the dopamine diet plan seems to amazingly combine lean protein, healthy fats, greens and fruits (and even a good portion of chocolate), carbs are hugely absent. However, this might be a good reason why it serves a good start to the journey of weight- loss.
Research has shown that people who suffer from obesity or overweight issues suffer from impairments in dopamine pathways. This often happens due to over consumption of highly saturated fatty products or immense sugar intakes.
Protein food products constitute of blocks of amino acids (including tyrosine, as mentioned before). These are extremely imperative for the production of dopamine. And when you intake more protein rich diet, you are able to increase your dopamine production without increasing your appetite. A recent study has revealed that consuming a high- protein breakfast including eggs, lean meats and dairy products can even help reduce mid- morning cravings, while not failing to boost your dopamine levels.
Some Pro Tips for A Proper Dopamine Rich Diet
- Eat regular meals: You do not want sudden swings in hormones and you will want to regulate your appetite in the best possible way. This can also help to diminish the chances of craving too much food or overeating in the evening.
- Increase lean proteins in the breakfast: these include the addition and increase of the inclusion of eggs, smoked salmons, mackerel or a protein- rich yoghurt, with added walnuts or almonds, seeds and fruits. You can also try protein- rich recipes for lunch and dinner.
- Partially restrict too starchy carbohydrates but do not completely avoid it: Carbs are imperative for a balanced diet. Hence, do not limit yourself completely from consuming ANY carbohydrate in your diet. Instead, aim for low-GI carbohydrates such as ryebread and porridge. This will keep the blood glucose level in check whilst having a positive effect on your appetite.
- Start adding HEALTHY fats to your diet: Yes, fats can be healthy too. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, as present in olives, safflowers, sesame or rapeseed oils besides in avocados, walnuts, and herring- like oily fishes, fresh tuna and trout, are amazing for a dopamine rich healthy diet.
- Increase activities like meditation and yoga besides maintaining such a diet plan because these unwinding activities, which let you reinvent yourself, through the balanced reconnection of your mind, body and soul can help boost your dopamine levels.
- Reduce processed salty foods, limit your sugary treats and add dark chocolate to your regular diet.
What to avoid in your diet?
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Now that we have talked about what to consume to have a dopamine rich diet, it is important to also be aware of what to avoid to ensure a healthy and balanced lifestyle.
Some of these can mean a huge sacrifice to make for you, but sometimes, to reach a goal, we have to let go of some very dear habits. If you want the aforementioned diet plan to work, you have to abstain from indulging in some of life’s most rewarding food elements.
Coffee, alcohol and heavily processed foods make to the top of this list of things to avoid when subscribing to a dopamine rich diet. Packaged food and caffeine rich products will only backfire your goals, and even slow you down in the process.
This really means you have to take the leap of diet faith, and cancel out a huge list of favourites from your daily or regular intakes. Fresh fruits, vegetables, and healthy foods need to replace these chunks of highly- processed snack food items.
Does the dopamine diet plan work?
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Well, you must already know that any diet that promotes the intake of fresh fruits and vegetables over saturated fats and starchy carbs will promote healthy eating habits and help clean up your meals.
Almost all health experts or nutritionists will advise you to include more fresh produce, proteins and greens in your diet and to avoid alcohol, sugar and saturated fatty processed foods. However, when it comes to talking about level of happiness, we have to talk about science.
The dopamine diet plan is strongly based on the fact that the amino acid tyrosine helps to convert to dopamine in body and hence a protein- rich diet is encouraged to increase the dopamine boosts in your brain. Daily exercise and regular balanced diet will surely give you a better lifestyle, and help a healthier living, keeping weight and appetite in check.
Final Thoughts
A dopamine diet plan can help you navigate through the blues of life and drag you back to your happy state. It can even be the best way to deal with some of the regular stress and anxiety of your daily work life. So give your diet a healthy twist, include more proteins, nuts and unsaturated fats to make some of the amazing dishes that require only a few simple ingredients to boost your dopamine levels. You deserve a healthy lifestyle without having to compromise with delicious products in your regular consumptions. So try this now!