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It’s soup season! Six foods to boost your serotonin

In the spirit of George Costanza from Seinfeld, it’s time to “shift into soup mode.”

It’s finally fall! Time for corn mazes, candy apples, Halloween, and lots and lots of flannel. That’s great and all, but do you know what else fall brings? That’s right — soup! That warm, liquidy goodness that’s packed with lots of stuff that’s good for you. Not to mention, it’ll warm up your tummy on a cool day. In the spirit of George Costanza from Seinfeld, it’s time to “shift into soup mode.” 

Soup is a great, simple dish that can be whipped up on a cold day. They’re great for warming you up, which helps you feel cozy during the fall. Additionally, soup tends to be packed with nutrient-rich vegetables that will help keep your immune system up while the temperature drops. There are also certain vegetables that can help your body produce more serotonin. Now you can make soup that makes you smile.

While finding ways to boost your brain’s happy chemicals at home is a good idea, it doesn’t replace professional mental health treatment. Soup may help, but it sadly can’t fix everything. Sometimes you need to seek assistance from others, and that’s okay. Whether that’s medication or speaking to a therapist, finding a treatment plan and provider that works for you might be necessary.

However, soup can add a little extra happiness to your life. Without further ado, let’s get into talking about those tasty soup ingredients! Here are some great additions to your fall soup recipes that will boost your physical and mental health.

1. Broccoli
Yep, the little trees are actually great for boosting your mood. Broccoli contains tryptophan, which is an amino acid that helps the body create serotonin. This little green guy is more helpful than he looks! Another great thing about this vegetable is that it pairs well with lots of other vegetables. So, if you’re not a big fan of broccoli, it doesn’t have to be the dominant flavor.

Most soups involving broccoli are creamy, meaning you have to blend up the vegetable with a food processor. It might be a little extra work, but it’s worth it in the end. Some particularly yummy soups with this vegetable include broccoli cheddar soup, broccoli potato soup, and broccoli carrot soup. There are loads of recipes out there for these, and they’re pretty tasty. Especially broccoli cheddar soup — who doesn’t love cheese?

2. Spinach
This leafy green might not help you grow muscles like Popeye, but it will boost your mood. And that’s arguably more important than being able to flex big biceps. Rich in vitamins A, C, K, calcium, and iron, spinach is packed with nutrients. And, it can be used as more than the base for a salad.

Spinach shrinks when cooked, meaning you won’t have to crunch a big leaf in the middle of your soup. It’s not particularly strong in flavor, either, meaning you can sneak it in for picky eaters. Ever tried Olive Garden’s chicken and gnocchi soup? It’s magical, and it’s speckled with spinach. There are lots of copycat recipes for this, but other ideas include adding spinach in creamy soups and soups with noodles (like chicken noodle). 

3. Mushrooms
Turns out the fungi are fun guys, after all. Mushrooms are loaded with healthy stuff, like vitamins, calcium, and will boost your immunity. And, you guessed it — these bad boys are also linked to tryptophan. 

Mushrooms are great additions to savory foods. They add some rich, extra flavor to practically any dish. They might not be what first comes to mind when making soup, but fungi can actually go a long way. Cream of mushroom soup is an easy way to add some ‘shrooms to your soup, while also acting as a thickening agent. Chopped or minced mushrooms in soup are also related to Slavic traditional soups. 

4. Peas
While peas tend to get a bad reputation for their unique flavor, they provide lots of helpful nutrients. Calcium, potassium, and vitamin C are just a few. And, peas are known to be a heart healthy food. 

Peas are so little that they can be dropped into practically any soup and not cause a fuss. An example of a soup with peas as the main ingredient is split pea soup, which is a classic fall dish. If you’re looking for less pea-in-your-face, try adding them in a hearty beef stew. 

5. Potatoes
You know, “boil ‘em, mash ‘em, stick ‘em in a stew,” as Samwise Gamgee from Lord of the Rings once said. And he was right — potatoes are extremely versatile. They belong to the starch family, meaning they break down eventually into sugar. Potatoes aren’t directly linked to serotonin, but the energy and fiber in them can help give you a boost, as well.

Potatoes can be used for different kinds of soups, too. If you’re more into the chunky soups, sliced potatoes go well in chowders and stews. These are the kind of soups you can throw some meat in for extra protein. If you’re more into smooth soup, though, take creamy potato soup to the next level with different add-ins. Bacon, cheese, green onions, and carrots are just a few that go well with this classic soup dish. 

6. Carrots
There’s a reason the bunnies love carrots. They’re super good for you! Rich in vitamins A, K, potassium, and calcium, this is one root vegetable that will help manage your blood glucose levels. In fact, carrots were found to decrease the risk of cancer. This is another vegetable not directly linked to tryptophan, but its other vitamins and minerals make up for it.

As mentioned above, carrots can be great additions to things like potato soup. The vegetable can add a hint of extra flavor to an otherwise bland dish. But, if you’re wanting a carrot-dominant dish, carrot soup exists. It tends to be a creamy soup that many people add ginger to, which helps boost your immune system. 

Get creative
The great thing about making your own food is that you get to experiment. Maybe you might not like all the vegetables on this list. Maybe you haven’t given much thought to putting some of them in a soup. Now you have some ideas to add more ingredients to your fall soup. 

Additionally, remember that food isn’t the only part of improving your mental health. Sure, the boost of serotonin is great, but it’s not a cure-all. Seeking professional help and even medication might be the right choice for you. But until then, happy fall and happy soup season!

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