Foods to improve your mood

Black beans

Help boost the happiness hormone, serotonin, and avoid that bloated feeling with magnesium-rich beans. These small but mighty beans are antioxidant-rich and loaded with other good-for-you nutrients including iron, fibre, copper, zinc and potassium.

Waitrose black turtle beans 500g; Dhs 11.00

Fish

A steamed piece of halibut has an impressive amount of protein and influences your serotonin levels. Fish and seafood are also ranked as some of the most filling foods, according to The Satiety Index of Common Foods, an Australian study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Eating fish as part of a healthy diet has been proven to improve overall health.

Blueberries

Darkly coloured berries can not only lead to weight loss (decreasing the formation of fat cells by up to 73%) but they'll also lift your spirits thanks to a heavy dose of vitamin C. Blueberries are also a great source of Resveratrol, part of a group of compounds called polyphenols, thought to act like antioxidants, protecting the body against damage. It's in the skin of the berries that you'll find an antioxidant pigment that research published in Frontiers in Endocrinology has linked to relief from depression.

The Berry Company's refreshing blueberry juice (Dhs19.90) is made with natural fruit juices.

Coconut

Packed full of medium-chain triglycerides (fats that fuel good moods), consuming coconut is a great pick-me-up. It may be commonly found in high-calorie desserts, but you don't have to over-indulge to eat the good stuff. Try having coconut cream in your coffee and tea; add some unsweetened flakes to your favourite baked goods, or just drink some coconut water before or after exercise.