Mood-Boosting Breakfast: A Nutritional Psychiatrist's Pick

Harvard-trained nutritional psychiatrist and chef Uma Naidoo, M.D., believes you can eat your way to a calmer mind. She wrote a book called *Calm Your Mind With Food* to explain her theory.

On the mindbodygreen podcast, Naidoo discusses anxiety-inducing foods and how to eat for mental well-being.

She shares her favorite mood-boosting breakfast recipes, including:

Chia pudding, which Naidoo calls easy to make and rich in fiber and protein. Chia seeds are a plant-based source of omega-3s, known to support mood balance and resilience.1

Combine 2 tablespoons of chia seeds with ½ cup of milk and let it sit until it gels. Naidoo suggests using hemp milk or another nut milk, and topping with blueberries, nuts, or seeds.

You can prepare this dish ahead of time.

A vegetable omelet with pasture-raised eggs is a classic, nutrient-rich choice. Naidoo recommends adding herbs and spices for extra flavor. Eggs are rich in choline, which has been linked to reductions in anxiety.2 One study3 found an inverse relationship between dietary choline and depressive symptoms.

Here are some ideas for your next omelet:

For those who meal prep, consider a frittata (a combination of an omelet and a crustless quiche). You'll get the benefits of choline-rich eggs without having to cook on the stove every morning.

Naidoo makes mini frittatas in advance using a cupcake pan and stores the rest in the freezer for busy mornings. Make sure to add vegetables for extra fiber (and flavor, of course).

A tofu scramble is another excellent option loaded with plant-based protein, whether you follow a vegan diet or simply want a unique alternative to your everyday egg breakfast.

Naidoo puts a block of tofu in a food processor to make small pieces, then cooks them in a pan with onions, peppers, spinach, and various spices.

Many tofu scrambles specifically use turmeric (to make it yellow—like eggs), which has neurotrophic properties linked to improvements in attention, overall cognition, and memory.

Naidoo has her favorite brain-supporting foods, but at the end (or start?) of the day, she recommends incorporating more plants into your morning menu. "If we take a step back and think about a nutritional psychiatry plate, I want people to be plant-forward, irrespective of what your protein choices are," Naidoo says. 

Fruits and vegetables not only add fiber but also tons of polyphenols, which have been shown to help with brain cognition and general inflammation. 

But most importantly, Naidoo says, testing different recipes can help you determine which foods help you relieve stress and prepare your brain for the day ahead.

Through personal experimentation, you'll have a better understanding of what your own body needs and wants. After all, every body (and brain) is unique, so listen to what yours is telling you, and make changes accordingly. 

Naidoo shares four nutritional-psychiatry-approved breakfast options: chia pudding, a vegetable omelet, meal-prepped frittatas, and a tofu scramble.

All of these are packed with protein, fiber, and antioxidants for body and brain support, though there's way more where these came from!