In a sour mood? Try eating sauerkraut

It may surprise you to find out that Americans eat around 387 million pounds of sauerkraut a year. Or that the United States imported more than 20 million pounds of kimchi in 2023. (Kimchi is spicy, pickled cabbage from South Korea.) These tangy fermented foods are increasingly popular — and they provide more than a gut-loving flavor boost. They boost your mood, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Their secret powers come from the fact that they help optimize your gut biome.

The Microbiology Society explains that “fermented foods such as kimchi … contain amino acids (like tryptophan) which are key to the production of (the brain neurotransmitter) serotonin. Consuming these foods can have a positive impact on mood and stress reduction.”

Currently, Irish researchers are looking at the impact of eating some 200 different fermented foods to see how they affect your mental health. They say that their preliminary results indicate that almost all have some beneficial effect on both gut and brain health. So if you don’t like sauerkraut or kimchi, there are a lot of choices, including tempeh, miso, kefir, kombucha and natto, as well as table olives, plain yogurt and sourdough bread.

To gain the mood-boosting and gut-healing benefits, try adding two servings of fermented foods a day to your diet.

Don’t lose it alone

Losing weight, and keeping it off, is difficult. More than half of folks who lose a significant amount of weight regain what they lost over the following two years. And most people try to lose weight over and over again. That’s frustrating and unhealthy. Yo-yo dieting is associated with increased deposits of plaque in your arteries and the accumulation of fatty tissue, muscle loss and chronic inflammation.

If you want to avoid the lose-it-gain-it-back cycle, a study in the International Journal of Obesity suggests that teaming up with a spouse, family member, friend or support group can transform your weight-loss journey, helping you lose and keep weight off.

To gain the power of pals, you can launch a “two-tolose” effort: You and your pal write out your goals and set a realistic timeline (losing 0.8 to 1 pound a week) to reach your goal. You also write out a list of foods to avoid and foods to add to your daily menus. And you commit to a walking routine five or more days a week — either with your weight-loss supporter(s) or someone who’s supporting your exercise efforts.