Delicious Picks to Help You FEEL REVITALIZED TODAY

The sun may be hiding behind the clouds, but you can feel up to 54 percent sunnier and more energized within just 30 minutes by noshing on these superfoods

1 PEPPERMINT TEA INCREASES HAPPY BRAIN WAVES

Savoring a minty sip can chase away a low mood in just two minutes, say experts at the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago. They explain that peppermint’s cooling sensation and strong aroma signal the brain to amp up its production of mood- and focus-boosting alpha waves. A tea we like: Alvita Peppermint Herbal Tea ($6 for 24 tea bags, vitacost.com).

2 BROCCOLI CALMS THE STRESS RESPONSE

Throughout winter, immune cells work overtime to fend off illness — and in the process, they deplete stores of B vitamins that control the brain’s stress center. But making broccoli a diet staple can correct these vitamin shortfalls and curb irritability by 45 percent. Plus, antioxidants in broccoli prevent stress hormone surges. For extra calm, spoon up a bowl of cream of broccoli soup.

4 BEEF STEADIES BLOOD SUGAR

To cut your risk of happiness-sapping blood-sugar dips in half, eat 4 oz. of red meat. Beef is packed with a nutrient duo (protein and stearic acid) that USDA researchers say slows the absorption of carbohydrates in the intestines to help stabilize blood sugar for up to four hours at a stretch. Plus, having red meat just three times a week can trigger a 39 percent spike in energy.

3

POTATOES ELEVATE SEROTONIN

Whether you love them baked, boiled or roasted, enjoying 1 cup of spuds can perk up your mood by 54 percent in 30 minutes, say researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge. Experts explain that potatoes contain a unique blend of amino acids and minerals that increase the body’s production of the antidepressant brain chemical serotonin.

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OATMEAL BOOSTS THE HUG HORMONE

A delicious way to erase edginess within 30 minutes — and maintain that sense of calm for up to two hours: Treat yourself to oatmeal cookies for dessert. Oatmeal is rich in two minerals (manganese and molybdenum) that Yale University researchers say work synergistically to encourage the production of the comforting “hug hormone” oxytocin.