Today, March 20, World Happiness Day is celebrated worldwide, decreed by the UN in 2012. We are talking about something so ethereal, so different for each person, that even science has found it difficult to define What exactly do we mean by happiness? A Harvard University study, carried out following more than 700 people throughout their lives since 1938, points out that the true secret of happiness is to have quality human relationships. Research reveals that those people who are most connected to their friends and family are happier, physically healthier, and live longer.
Thus, it seems that neither money nor material goods are key factors in guaranteeing happiness. This does not mean, however, that we can be happy without money or with an income that does not meet our basic needs. An investigation carried out by Princeton University, with individuals from the United States and Kenya who received an extra income of money to complete modest salaries, indicates that although money does not give absolute happiness, it does help to significantly improve satisfaction with life . In many cases, in addition, a dose of extra money means gaining time and resources to dedicate to things that really make us happy. Judging by this study, called Wealth Redistribution Promotes Happiness, the thesis of psychologist Rafael Santandreu, author of books such as Las gafas de felicidad and Ser feliz en Alaska, does not seem very solid. It’s water and food. With them you can be the happiest person on the planet”.
Spain is one of the unhappiest countries in Europe, according to the Global Happiness survey, which is carried out annually. Specifically the second, only behind Hungary. According to the latest published data, corresponding to 2022, only 55% of the population declares themselves “very” or “quite” happy, a figure that contrasts with 86% of the citizens of the Netherlands, 83% of the United Kingdom Kingdom and 81% of France. In addition, this survey indicates that for 54% of the world population the greatest source is health and physical well-being, followed by mental health and well-being (53%), the relationship with the partner (49%), feeling that life has meaning (49%) and the happiness that children bring (48%).
As for diet, although it is true that it can improve mood in cases of asthenia or mild discomfort, in no case should we focus solely on modifying our diet if the depression is severe, something that requires cross-sectional treatment from various fronts. The nutritionist Fátima Branco explains it: “It is common to confuse being sad with having depression. Many people mix the two concepts without realizing that, in many cases, those people who suffer from clinical depression may spend most of the time locked up at home, on sick leave and with very irregular eating patterns, without schedules: maybe one day eat a single intake, another day do not eat and the next day have a binge”.
The nutritionist explains that, in addition, “they tend to consume foods with a lot of fat and sugar and, if we take into account that many antidepressant medications make them gain weight and that they are people who tend to lead a sedentary life, it is very easy for them to gain weight and, therefore, , they look worse, they don’t want to leave the house and the situation becomes the whiting that bites its tail. How to deal with this picture by nutrition and medicine professionals? Branco is clear about it: “It is about doing a little ant job, changing patterns little by little and not trying to achieve radical changes all at once”.
As for food, the nutritionist insists that it is convenient to distinguish between those foods that provide momentary happiness and those that provide a more lasting feeling of well-being. Among the first, we find “all those that contain simple carbohydrates, which provide us with quick and easy energy, although there is also a sudden drop immediately that encourages us to continue consuming more carbohydrates,” explains Branco. The best thing, then, is to obtain energy from those more complex, slow-absorbing carbohydrates, such as wheat, oats or legumes, which, although they will not provide us with an immediate high, will give us energy in the medium term and make us feel stable and sated.
To the question of whether chocolate gives happiness, the answer would be yes, “but with nuances”, in the words of Branco. “When we are down due to high levels of stress, the brain uses more glucose, which also happens when we follow restrictive diets or prolonged fasting. That is why the body asks us for sugar: precisely what we find in chocolate”, explains the nutritionist. Therefore, in many cases it is not the chocolate that makes us feel happy, but the large amount of added sugars that many of those on the market contain, since, as Branco notes, “unfortunately when we are depressed we do not usually go looking for dark chocolate”.
There are studies, however, that indicate that dark chocolate is also a source of happiness for other reasons. According to a study published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, conducted by the University of Seoul, eating 30 grams of dark chocolate a day, with at least 85% cocoa, improves mood given its theobromine content, a substance closely linked to caffeine that promotes vasodilation and muscle relaxation. In addition, it improves the intestinal microbiome, since it increases the presence of the Blautia Obeum bacteria, which also affects mood.
Branco assures, therefore, that incorporating a small portion of dark chocolate into the diet can be healthy, but in no case should we throw away sugar-laden chocolates that are nothing more than bread for today and hunger for tomorrow. “When we consume this type of food, our body reacts in the same way as with drugs: a dopamine rush is given that causes a response that we could call wrong from the organism: our mood goes up and then it goes down suddenly. ”.
In addition to foods with complex carbohydrates that cause a sustained increase in energy and well-being, Branco insists that “it is important to include foods rich in tryptophan in the diet.” This essential amino acid acts as a precursor for serotonin and is obtained only through food, which has led many people to supplement it despite the fact that there are no conclusive studies on the efficacy of these supplements. According to psychologist Josselyn Sevilla, from the Cláritas Psychological Institute in Madrid, “correct levels of tryptophan, which are achieved simply by eating a healthy diet without having to specifically look at it, can contribute to a good general state, but in no case You can consider a solution.
According to a research review published in the journal Acta Neuropsychiatrica in 2011, there is no empirical evidence that dietary manipulation of tryptophan can improve mood. “General media articles often recommend diets and foods to increase tryptophan levels in the blood and serotonin levels in the brain. Such recommendations are not supported by scientific studies,” says the research, which qualifies this type of information as “hyperbolic and misleading”.
Therefore, the best way to be happy is to eat a varied and balanced diet, rich in fruits and vegetables, maintain good sleep hygiene, exercise regularly and have quality social relationships. This can happen by incorporating all these foods into our diet:
