For low carb diet foods to make you happy, they need to be the right kinds of low carb foods and drinks. If you're reading this and thinking about things like ice cream, cookies or sweet rolls as foods that make you feel good, that is not where we're going with this. Also, we're not talking about low carb snack foods that are usually lacking in any real nutrition. To understand precisely what we're discussing, let's take a look at how certain nutrients affect the brain, the nervous system and your overall mood.



Let's say you've got an important business presentation and your nervous about standing up in front of a group of your peers. Which of these would you choose to calm your anxiety?

A. A diet soda

B. A glass of milk

C. A handful of Gummy Bears

D. A low carb food formula in a health drink

Believe it or not, C is a correct answer if you want a quick fix that's not really very good for you in the long run. In some people, sugar from candy acts as a short energy boost followed by a quick drop while some people go straight to the crash. However, D, a low carb food formula in a health drink is the best choice. This is because liquids are digested more rapidly and absorbed right away. Assuming that your health drink is made with natural ingredients, including whole foods with complex carbohydrates, then you will gain the most calming effect.

If you thought a glass of milk was the best choice for relaxing, you should know that mixing protein with carbohydrates reduces the carb's calming properties. So, next time you are eating a high carb cereal, don't put milk on it if you want to feel less anxious as you get ready to face the day.

Drinking a diet soda with artificial sweeteners is the worst choice you could make. Low carb diet foods and drinks that contain aspartame and saccharin do anything but calm the brain and nervous system. Avoiding these chemical ingredients in low carb foods or drinks is always a good idea, but especially if you are trying to relax. Look for natural without artificial stuff.

The bottom line is that when you want to calm down, you can eat high carb foods, like potatoes, pasta, breads and other starches, or you can drink a naturally formulated low carb food mixture that will give you more benefits. Not only will your brain and nervous system get quick anxiety reduction, your body will get complex carbohydrates it can use for long lasting energy.

An ancient Chinese proverb states, "In times of stress, sweeten the tea". Our ancestors commonly consumed a spoonful of honey before bed to induce restful sleep. This may run contrary to the popular opinion that sugar gives you quick energy. Instead, recent research suggests that, "all carbohydrates, including sugar and starches have the opposite effect on most ordinary people" (Food-Your Miracle Medicine by Jean Carper-Harper Collins Publishers-1993). There are numerous experiments that show carbohydrates to be more like mild tranquilizers than pick-me-ups.

How some high carb foods act as sedatives, according to experts, could be due to complicated biochemical reactions. One theory is that carbs clear the way for the brain to receive more tryptophan, an amino acid that gets converted into serotonin. Now, researchers are learning more about the ability of serotonin to act as a calming chemical in the brain and nervous system. That's why you hear about people with low serotonin levels developing greater stress. If you are eating low carb foods on a regular basis and feeling some nervousness or overly revved up energy, make sure you are getting tryptophan and serotonin by eating the right low carb diet foods.