6 Best Foods that Release Endorphins

What are Endorphins and how they are essential for health?

Endorphins are released during stress. The name endorphin comes from the words “endogenous,” which means “from the body,” and “morphine,” which is an opioid pain reliever. The term endorphin is used to describe all the various peptides that have opiate-like activity. The pituitary and hypothalamus glands produce endorphins. High concentrations of endorphins in the brain enhance pleasure and suppress emotional and physical pain. Low concentrations lead to anxious behavior and depression.

How Endorphins work?

Endorphins do not have their receptors. They used the receptors of opioids to work. As we know, endorphins are also made in our body naturally; when we intake ingredients that contain endorphin receptors, they interact with the opioid receptors and release endorphins, creating a sense of euphoria. Certainly, they are essential for physical as well as mental well-being.

How to increase endorphins through food? What food nutrients are essential for the release of Endorphins?

Many types of food nutrients help release many types of neurotransmitters. The intake of certain kinds of nutrients releases endorphins. Here are some evidence-based examples of nutrients that help in booting up endorphins.

Dark Chocolates

Researchers have found that cocoa, the main ingredient in chocolate, causes the brain to release chemicals like endorphins. Chocolate is often associated with emotional comfort. It interacts with neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins and regulates mood. Research has proved that chocolates stimulate the opiate receptors in the brain. Opioids released in response to ingesting sweet and other pleasantly palatable foods can increase central opioidergic activity that stimulates the release of beta‐endorphin in the hypothalamus, producing an analgesic effect (Nehlig, 2013).

Spicy Food

Capsaicinoids are an active component of chili pepper, etc., which transmits pain signals. The brain responds by releasing the neurotransmitter endorphins. Endorphins block the nerve’s ability to transmit pain signals. A study tested the analgesic effect caused by the stimulation of a spicy sensation. It explored the effect of spicy food consumption on human basal pain sensitivity. There has been evidence from many researches that eating large amounts of spicy food triggers a sense of euphoria in some people. Spicy food stimulation through the oral cavity can decrease subjects’ basal pain sensitivity (Guangyou et al., 2020).

Ginseng

Ginseng is one of the most popular herbal medicines in the world. It is also an adaptogen, a group of herbal ingredients that improves the body’s hormonal response to stress. Ginseng enhances the production of endorphins, which are needed to boost energy.

Animal Proteins

Animal proteins contain a complete set of amino acids, which includes those linked to endorphin production.

Bananas

Bananas also contain B vitamins and vitamin C, helping to boost the release of endorphins and tryptophan from the central nervous system.

Grapes

Grapes are fruits rich in vitamin C and are antioxidants, stimulating the production of endorphins.

References

 Duan, G., Wu, Z., Duan, Z., Yang, G., Fang, L., Chen, F., Li, H. (2020). Effects of spicy stimulation and spicy-food consumption on human pain sensitivity: A healthy volunteer study. The Journal of Pain, 21(7-8), 848-857. doi:10.1016/j.jpain.2019.11.011

Nehlig, A. (2013). The neuroprotective effects of cocoa flavanol and its influence on cognitive performance. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 75(3), 716–727. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2125.2012.04378.x