Famed
as the Tom Kerridge diet, the 'happy' weight loss plan is making
headlines. But does the dopamine diet work? Our dietitian investigates…
What is the dopamine diet?
Billed
as the weight loss regime that boosts mood too, this diet is all about
increasing levels of the ‘happy hormone’ dopamine in the brain at the
same time as shedding pounds. Certain celebrities such as TV chef Tom
Kerridge have boosted this diet’s popularity in recent years. There are
several different versions of the diet, but all are based around foods
that are thought to boost dopamine. These can include:
- Dairy foods such as milk, cheese and yogurt
- Unprocessed meats such as beef, chicken and turkey
- Omega-3 rich fish such as salmon and mackerel
- Eggs
- Fruit and vegetables, in particular bananas
- Nuts such as almonds and walnuts
- Dark chocolate
For inspiration using these dopamine-boosting ingredients, try our dopamine diet recipe collection.
Most
versions of the diet recommend avoiding alcohol, caffeine and processed
sugar, while some also recommend cutting out or severely restricting
starchy carbohydrates. So what is the science behind the dopamine diet?
Dietitian Emer Delaney explains…
What is dopamine and how does food affect it?
Dopamine
is a neurotransmitter - a chemical that is responsible for transmitting
signals between nerve cells in the brain. Dopamine directly affects the
reward and pleasure centres in the brain, which in turn affects mood.
Its activation occurs for a number of reasons, including the sudden
availability of food.
There is emerging evidence
to show that people who are overweight may have impairments in dopamine
pathways which could have been blunted through constant exposure to
highly palatable (sugary and fatty) foods. This blunted response could
potentially lead to increased reward seeking behaviour, including
over-eating - however, this is an area that needs more research.
Currently, we do know that all eating increases dopamine, especially the
intake of high fat and sugar foods, both off which can lead to an
increase in appetite, overeating and weight gain in the long term.
So how can you boost your dopamine without resorting to high fat and sugar foods?
Protein
foods are made from the building blocks of amino acids (including
tyrosine), which are essential to the production of dopamine. It has
therefore been suggested that upping protein intake may also boost
dopamine production without increasing appetite. A recent study looked
at this theory and concluded that eating a high protein breakfast
including eggs, lean meats and dairy was best at reducing mid-morning
cravings whilst increasing dopamine levels.
Dietitian Emer Delaney’s top tips…
-
Eat regular meals. This will prevent a sudden swing in hormones and
help to regulate your appetite. It also reduces the chance of overeating
in the evening.
- Try eating more lean protein at breakfast such as eggs, smoked salmon, mackerel, or a high-protein yogurt with added nuts, seeds or fruit. Try our high-protein recipe collection for breakfast, lunch and dinner recipes.
-
Some versions of this diet ask you to completely restrict starchy
carbohydrates, which I wouldn’t recommend. Carbohydrates are important
components of the diet, so ensure you include some at every meal. Aim
for low-GI carbohydrates such as rye bread or porridge. Both will encourage blood glucose levels to remain steady, which will have a positive effect on appetite.
- Choose healthy fats such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats found in olive, safflower, sesame or rapeseed oils in addition to avocado, walnuts, flaxseeds and oily fish such as herring, fresh tuna and trout.
- Include lean protein foods at lunch and dinner by eating chicken, lentils, pulses, fish, or lean beef.
- Increase activities such as yoga as we know this can also increase dopamine levels.
-
Keep things simple and look at the quality of foods you eat, reduce
processed salty foods, keep sugary treats to a minimum and make sure
you’re eating your five-a-day.
No comments:
Post a Comment