DARK LEAFY GREENS ARE BRAIN FOOD!

Continuing on the theme of happiness foods or brain foods, let me say that your mother was right; eat your vegetables, especially the dark leafy ones such as arugula.  Dark leafy veggies are among the most nutrient-dense foods we eat.  Folate, which helps to protect us from depression, originates in the leaves of plants.  It's name even comes from the Latin word folium which means leaf.  Greens are also rich in calcium, important because calcium triggers the release of neurotransmitters every time a neuron fires.  Greens are also good fiber foods.  Many may wonder what fiber has to do with the brain since we always think of it as for the gut.  And that is true.  Fiber is essential to maintaining a healthy gut and a healthy gut is crucial for the proper absorption of nutrients.  Here is a surprising fact; diets low in fiber have been linked to depression and increased risks of suicide!  So yes, fiber is a happiness food.  These healthy leafy greens also contain another of our happiness nutrients - magnesium.

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