Grape juice spritzer soothes anxiety!

Over a dozen new studies confirm that the phytonutrients in foods can balance your brain’s production of so-called “happy” hormones like serotonin. And that means a sunnier outlook could be just a meal or two away! Try . . .

Jumpstarting joy with chickpeas

A daily 1/2 cup of chickpeas or other legumes, such as lentils, helps eight in 10 of us feel happier, more energized and more focused — often within 48 hours of the first serving, research in the British Journal of Sports Medicine suggests. Legumes are rich in phenylethylamine (PEA), a compound used to produce the antidepressant hormone dopamine, explains study coauthor Ellen Billett, PH.D.

anxiety with grape spritzers

Sipping 6 oz. of unsweetened purple grape juice mixed with an equal amount of mineral water can cut feelings of edginess and anxiety in half within five minutes, University of Washington research reveals. The credit goes to purple grape juice’s resveratrol and the magnesium in mineral water, a nutrient duo that quickly reduces activity in your brain’s anxiety center.

Feeling sunnier with citrus

Feeling out of sorts? Try snacking on an orange or other citrus fruit. According to University of Alabama scientists, the taste and aroma of citrus calms your adrenal glands, cutting stress hormone production 33%, and lifting your spirits within 10 minutes.

up with avocados

The healthy fat in this green fruit revs production of mood-boosting serotonin, ending the blues as effectively as antidepressants can, British researchers say. Rx: half an avocado daily.

away worries with beef

Have a hard time relaxing because your mind keeps mulling, worrying and planning? Eating a 4-oz. burger could help clear your thoughts, the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition reports. Beef is rich in zinc, a mineral that soothes brain nerves, allaying worrying, tension and stress, says study coauthor Takako Sawada, PH.D. Vegetarian? Eating 1/2 cup of pumpkin seeds also works.