Nutrition by Pierce Howard

Author:Pierce Howard
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780062357632
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2014-04-15T16:00:00+00:00

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Do not eliminate fat from your diet!

Prefer unsaturated fats, especially olive oil and canola oil.

TOPIC 14.8

Mood: The Role of Carbohydrates, Proteins, Fats, and Sugars

The four food groups act on mood and the brain in the following ways:

Protein (in flesh, legumes, tofu): Contains an abundance of the amino acid L-tyrosine, which produces norepinephrine and dopamine (leading to elevated alertness and stable memory).

Complex carbohydrates (in vegetables, grains, fruits): Contain an abundance of the amino acid L-tryptophan, which is necessary to produce serotonin (leading to a sense of satiety and relaxation).

Fats (in dairy, meat, oils): Important for the production of acetylcholine, which is crucial for memory formation and general neural integrity (an absence of acetylcholine leads to the breakdown of neural membranes and advanced aging).

Simple carbohydrates (sugars): A quick energy booster, but without the “time-release” quality of complex carbohydrates, which provide glucose for longer periods (sugars alone lead to sluggishness).

Complex carbohydrates—those with a low glycemic index (grains, seeds, beans, fruits, and vegetables)—metabolize more gradually and provide a steadier release of glucose for use by the body. Simple carbohydrates such as sugar, on the other hand, provide a quick rise in blood sugar followed by a letdown.

Haas (1994) points out that the sequencing of proteins and carbohydrates is important. If you’re having a “California-style” salad for lunch and want to be alert after lunch, eat the chicken (protein) first, so that the L-tyrosine gets to your brain first. Then eat the rest of the salad, with L-tryptophan lagging. This ensures that you get the energy from the carbohydrates without the sleepiness. If you eat the carbohydrates first or simultaneously with the protein, the tryptophan will dominate and reach the brain first, thus establishing lower arousal and higher relaxation.

A Hebrew University research team led by Nachum Vaisman learned that children 11–13 years old showed improved performance on cognitive tests when they consumed milk and cereal within 30 minutes of the test. Children who had eaten breakfast at home two hours before the test showed no improvement in cognitive performance over children who hadn’t eaten breakfast at all. Apparently the boost in brain sugar levels just preceding the test also boosted performance.

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