Eating can be a more emotional exercise than many realize.

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Modern science supports the idea of food as a mood-altering medicine. The best mood-boosters found in foods fall into five categories: B-vitamins, the amino acid tryptophan, omega 3 fatty acids, trace minerals, and complex carbohydrates.

Foods that are loaded with B-vitamins can help battle sadness. Bumming out? Bring on the dark leafy greens—the spinach, chard, and collards as well as citrus fruits and an array of beans.

“B-vitamins are found to be deficient in people with depression,” says Esposito. “They are necessary for the normal functioning of the brain and nervous system.”

A person running low on Vitamin B might feel tired and irritable. Throw in some folic acid, or B9, and the production of serotonin is aided. Promising studies show the benefits of treating depression with folic acid.

Another stellar B, niacin, or B3, has been shown to relieve anxiety. It does this by producing counter-stress hormones. (Studies show that B3 deficiency is one cause of dementia.)

Other foods actually invite a relaxed mood.

“Eating turkey and milk can help you relax,” says Michelle Barth, a registered dietician who works at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula. They do so by supplying tryptophan, which helps the body process feel-good serotonin and niacin. Fortunately, tryptophan sources are numerous: It is found in seafood, beans, eggs and yogurt. Complex carbohydrates like whole wheat pasta also help, which may explain why Italians are so happy.

Now cue the hero soundtrack: The good-moodiest nutrients are the supreme omega 3s, which have increasingly claimed glory in the medical world and the media, for good reason.  

Omega 3s are the undisputed champions of the “brain foods.” They enhance cell membranes in the brain, contribute to a healthy nervous system, and lubricate the nerve connections that allow mood-regulating neurotransmitters to carry clearer messages.

“For increased alertness consume foods containing essential fatty acids,” says Esposito. “These are also high in tryptophan and protein.” She and others in the field suggest loading up on fish, especially wild salmon, herring, anchovies, sardines, and halibut. Avocados and almonds are also good sources of tryptophan; walnuts and seeds are extra-good.

Some doctors go so far as to attribute America’s mental illness epidemic to a terrible omega imbalance.

Most people consume 10 to 20 times more omega 6 fatty acids (found in processed oils and red meat) than omega 3s, while the optimal ratio is between 1:1 and 4:1. Just three grams of omega 3s—about eight ounces of wild-caught salmon—can be clinically effective for mood disorders. And with a little burre blanc, darn tasty.

PCB and dioxin cause the FDA to warn pregnant women and young children to eat no more than 12 ounces, or about two servings, of seafood per week. Thankfully, a handful of walnuts and flaxseeds can save the day, especially for vegetarians.

Other nuts and seeds can also stabilize moods—Brazil nuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower carry magnesium, which is also crucial to the production of neurotransmitters. Magnesium helps relax the body and mind, and relieves premenstrual mood changes.

It is particularly difficult to get enough magnesium in a diet of processed foods, so deficiencies are common—unleashing fatigue, irritability, and mood swings.

Another loveable mood nutrient suffered a serious blow during the Atkins craze—carbohydrates. The brain particularly craves the carb glucose for mental clarity and energy needs. It also has a hankering for the whole grains: wheat, oats, millet, quinoa, and brown rice, and also fruits, vegetables, and beans that stabilize energy levels and combat fatigue.

“People will use concentrated carbs [like sweets]  to deal with mood because they’re a quick fix,” Barth says, “But they get you on a roller coaster because they don’t stay in system long. You have a crash and then will need more sugar to pick you up. Carbs are the thing to use for mood, but you need more complex carbs.”

Barth compares the cycle to other famous spike-and-crash items. “Try not to use caffeine or sugar to improve your mood,” she says, “because ultimately it’s not going to help and will give you a downward swing.”

Esposito has a simple recommendation to letting food set the right mood. “Go to the grocery store and look for all the foods that don’t have labels,” she says. “These are the foods that nature has provided us that help our bodies—our mind, digestion and emotions—function properly.” Her personal success story, switching to whole food sources, or foods closest to their natural origin, provides no small amount of inspiration.

“I went from having chronic low-grade depression and occasional suicidal ideation,” she says, “to solely happy, stable moods—all from changing the foods I was consuming.”