Serotonin is a neurotransmitter. That means it's a chemical that works on your brain, influencing how it reacts to things.
What Does Serotonin Do?
Serotonin is a mood stabilizer. It helps you feel calm and happy, and when the levels in your brain are low, you can feel less emotionally stable.
Serotonin is also found in the gut, where it helps the muscles work to digest our food.
To make serotonin, our bodies need the amino acid tryptophan, and that is found in carbohydrates, so when our bodies are low in serotonin, we often crave carbs.
How Is Serotonin Related to Weight?
Serotonin levels are related to weight in a cycle. When we are feeling emotionally unstable, we often crave carbohydrate-laden foods. Serotonin is boosted, and we sometimes feel a little better, but when the levels drop off, we are back to craving more carbs.
When you are following a healthy eating plan and restricting calories and carbs, your tryptophan levels can become low. People often begin feeling sad and craving carbs a few weeks into their new diet plans.
How Can You Boost Serotonin without Junk Food?
Luckily, there are some ways you can keep your serotonin levels up without over-indulging in carbs, including:
- Getting enough B vitamins. B vitamins are found in high levels in spinach, fish, garlic, and poultry. They can also help with the production of serotonin.
- Eat non-carbs that are high in tryptophan. These foods include turkey, eggs, cheese, salmon, and sunflower seeds.
- Get enough exercise. Exercise boosts serotonin levels in the brain.
- Get enough sleep. Proper sleep patterns are crucial for maintaining mood.
- Get morning sunlight. Bright sun exposure in the morning aids in proper sleep cycles and helps balance your mood.
- Take a Garcinia cambogia supplement. Garcinia cambogia boosts serotonin levels, which can help decrease your emotionally based food cravings.
Keep serotonin levels in mind when you are trying to lose weight to make it easier for you to accomplish and to help you maintain emotional stability.