Moody Food: Does the food we eat contribute to our overall happiness?
Have you ever had moments where you forgot to eat or you're stuck in a place where you can't grab a quick bite, and you see a change in your mood? You become more irritable, sensitive, and overall more grumpy. Some describe this state of being as "hangry", meaning you're hungry and angry at the same time. This phenomenon, however, is more complicated than being grumpy because you want lunch but your lunch break isn't for another hour, or you're in the car in the middle of nowhere and the next place to stop for food is 40 miles away.
Think about a car. The car will run fine if it has a full tank of gas, and will run fine until the gas starts to run out. For some cars, the engine starts making funny noises or the car doesn't run as smoothly if the gas is low, and the car will completely stop moving if the tank runs dry. The human body works the same way, except we get our fuel in the form of food, specifically a molecule called glucose. Glucose is a sugar molecule found in all of our food, but is most prevalent in carbohydrate rich foods like bread, potatoes, and fruit. Our body uses this molecule in our cells to create energy, which keeps our body running. If we don't eat food for long periods of time, the glucose fuel in our cells runs out, which makes our body run slower. This can lead to feelings of laziness, sleepiness, and grumpiness.
So how do we combat this? By eating, of course...but there's a catch. Of course you can eat whatever is most appealing to you, but like cars, there are different types of fuel that do different things. For example: think of the lowest quality fuel that a car can take. It will still make the car run, but maybe not as well as if you had put in a higher quality of fuel. Now, think about a candy bar. This is still energy, and still contains glucose for your cells to use. But the candy bar has high levels of refined sugar, which is a simple carbohydrate. The body can still use this for fuel, but it will be used more quickly than a food with more complex carbohydrates. This quick usage of the glucose will result in a spike in blood sugar, or a "sugar rush". You will have a burst of energy, but then you will be left empty and needing another fill up of glucose.
You will find more quality fuel in foods that have complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains. These will release the glucose molecules slower, because the body needs to take more time to break the food down. Examples of complex carbs include oatmeal, brown rice, and whole wheat bread. These will be the best source of glucose, resulting in more consistent energy throughout the day.
According to the University of Illinois Extension, "Your Guide to Diet & Diabetes",to have a consistent source of glucose you have to have good timing on your consumption of fuel.
As seen by the graphic above, the blood glucose level never hits the zero line on the graph. By consuming the same amount of carbohydrates at breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with similarly portioned amounts of carbs during snacks, you will be consistently fueled up throughout your day.
So if you're feeling sluggish or grumpy while reading this, take a break! Have some glucose, but make sure you're making food choices that will keep you fueled up for longer periods of time. Click here to check out a list of foods with complex carbohydrates: sure to keep you fueled up for your drive throughout the rest of your day!
Have you ever been "hangry", or have any tips to avoid the feeling of being grumpy due to an empty stomach? Comment below! Also, if there's any topics you'd like to see us cover in the future, leave a comment below! We'd love to get your feedback!
Sources:
Skaff, Marilyn M., Joseph T. Mullan, David Almeida, Lesa Hoffman, Umesh Masharani, David Mohr, and Lawrence Fisher. "Daily Negative Mood Affects Fasting Glucose in Type 2 Diabetes." Health Psychology : Official Journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association. U.S. National Library of Medicine, May 2009. Web. 21 June 2017.
"What Impacts Blood Glucose Levels?" What Impacts Blood Glucose Levels? | Your Guide to Diet and Diabetes | U of I Extension. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 June 2017.
