Contrary to pop culture, it’s food and not love that binds the human race together. In sickness and in health, in sadness and in grief and in celebration and joy one common factor is FOOD. It’s that legal drug that can add a high when you’re low or elevate an existing high. With ever increasing work hours it’s essential to have a stimulating array of snacks to choose from. But ever wondered why you’re finding yourself to be increasingly crabby, snarky and ever ready to bite your colleagues’/partner’s head off?

Snacking throughout the day not only boosts your metabolism but it also prevents a dip in your blood sugar levels, which in turn is the most common cause of mood irritability. But before you reach out for that famous ‘Have a Break’ chocolate bar, STOP! Your choice of snacks not only correlates to your waistline but also to your mood.

When one is feeling lower than a snake’s belly it’s but natural for your thoughts to something sugary, creamy and gooey. Before you know it you’ve shoved a fistful of gummy bears into your mouth, chowed down 10 cream biscuits and washed it down with the contents of a fruit juice box. And you feel GREAT! You return to your work and 60 minutes later find yourself sluggish and wanting more. But you’re feeling guilty so this time you make your way to the office fridge and bring out a tub of frozen fruit yoghurt. It’ll go nicely with that granola bar you bought earlier. Fast-forward an hour and the cravings are back!

Unwittingly you’ve just consumed over 200g of sugar (equivalent to 50 teaspoons or 800 calories worth) – 10x more than your daily-recommended intake! Rest assured the ‘sugar high’ you craved is short-lived as the pancreas and liver rapidly remove the sugar leaving you irritable and brain-fogged; ‘psychoglycemia’ as I term it. And don’t be fooled by packaged food items that bear the phrase “no added sugar” and/or “all natural sugar”.

• Something sweet – To uplift your mood and keep it buoyant for longer you need to ensure that you snack on Carbs with a low Glycemic Index, healthy mono-saturated and unsaturated fats and some protein. These macronutrients promote appetite control, drive fat metabolism and contain the amino acid Tryptophan that is required for the production of Serotonin – the ‘feel-good’ neurotransmitter that’s released from the brain. Long-term they are vital for warding off depression.

  Here are some sweet swaps :

• 50g of low-fat Greek Yoghurt with a small hand of berries
• Apple slices with a nut butter spread (ensure nuts and salt are the only ingredient)
• 5-6 baby carrots dipped in humus
• Instead of a packaged juice blend your fruit of choice whole with water

• Stimulants – Ingenious marketing of coffee has left the public believing that proper functioning is synonymous to coffee intake. But Caffeine although a stimulant, is notorious for reducing accuracy and productivity. Caffeine also is addictive which is why you keep reaching out for another cup, and another, and another … THE reason why you’re “on edge”! Also, worth noting that you’re not doing yourself any favors by consuming creamy, calorific café coffees.

Swap to a decaf alternative or black coffee; limit your intake to 2 cups a day max! Better still sip on Green Tea  , which apart from being a stimulant also boosts your metabolic rate. If you’re a hot-chocolate consumer then you too have a healthier option; mix some Carob powder in skimmed or almond milk with a sprinkle of cinnamon for a low-cal, high protein and metabolism boosting snack.

• Hydration – Chronic low fluid intake is possibly the number one reason why so many of us experience mood swings. Ditch the energy sports drinks because your body doesn’t need them and because they’re full of sugar; the culprit of your lethargy! Stick to water and add some salt and lemon if you want electrolyte.

To make fluid consumption interesting, fill a tall glass with water and throw in an effervescent multivitamin pill OR try flavoring your water with slices of strawberries, lemons, cucumbers, peaches and pears. Also try sipping on herbal flavored teas . Aim to consume 3 litres of water daily!

• Freshen up – avoid eating your snacks whilst working. Instead get up and take a walk to stretch your legs. Step outside for ten minutes and savor every bite of your snack because such kind of sensory eating ensures your brain is made aware of being satiated. The sunlight exposure too benefits you by maintaining a steady production of Dopamine. Dopamine is the neurotransmitter that gives you that passion and zest for work. Aim to get 20-30 minutes of sun a week and produce your own sunshine vitamin !

• Toxic cleanse – Toxins come in all kinds. There’s the obvious ones like sugar, alcohol, processed carbs and cigarettes and there’s the kind that’s emotional and mental in the form of politics and gossip mongering. All this negativity definitely influence your snacking habits. Time for a DETOX on this stuff. Smoking – STOP IT! It tricks your mind and suppresses your appetite, which in turn is why you’re perpetually grumpy.

  Practice mindfulness . Try to imbibe positivity into your surroundings and into your thinking. Be it decorating your cubby hole with things that uplift your mood or by relieving stress and tension through a quick workout in your office. Find what cleanses the aura within and around and that in turn will better your dietary choices.