What's the best comfort food

A.� Most people turn to stodgy carbohydrate-packed foods such as pasta, baked potato with lots of butter or toasted doorstep sandwiches when they are feeling down or in need of comfort. For others, it is a homemade shepherds pie, Italian meatballs or slowly cooked risotto.

�

Q.� Can food actually influence your moods

A. There is a growing body of evidence which shows that what you eat - and crave - directly affects your mood. Black coffee instantly gives you a perk and too much alcohol can leave you feeling depressed. A book by author Michael van Straten called Good Food Mood suggests certain foods can improve your mental wellbeing.

�

He advocates beetroot, chicken and cherries for energy, carrots, he says, improve your sex drive, basil and bananas soothe a troubled mind, and chocolate and biscuits can give you a high-sugar kick but leave you feeling depressed afterwards. In the US, so-called 'happy crisps' have been produced which contain St John's Wort, which has long been known to contain anti-depressant properties.

�

Q.� How does it work

A.� The body produces its own uplifting properties known as endorphins by breaking down food. You can raise these levels of endorphins in the brain by eating foods containing a combination of nutrients�that release endorphins. Low energy levels can be caused by vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

�

Q.� Which foods are best

A.� Chocolate, although high in sugar and fat, contains chemicals which can release endorphins in the body. It can make you feel instantly better and is one of the reasons it is so craved, particularly by women.

�

Strawberries, high in vitamin C, help in the production of endorphins and are also good sources of potassium, which generate nerve impulses. Pasta is a good source of protein, which is low in fat, yet also contains complex carbohydrates which make you feel full up. Bananas are rich in potassium and also natural sugars, which are quickly released into the bloodstream making you feel energetic.

�

Grapes are high in antioxidants and vitamin C. One of the best natural foods are nuts, which although they contain fat, are rich in B vitamins, protein and selenium; a mineral which is known to contain mood enhancing properties. Brazil nuts are the best source of selenium.

�

For more food and drink questions and answers, click here

�

By Katharine MacColl