8 Superfoods To Best Support Your Mood & Energy Levels

Superfoods are fruits and vegetables that are especially rich in health-promoting nutrients—vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and more. Many of these nutrients have long been revered for their nourishing and medicinal effects, and the latest research is helping us to understand why. 

Ready to give them a try? Here are the best superfoods to eat to enhance your mood and energy:

Maca hails from the highlands of Peru and has been used traditionally by the Peruvian people as both food and medicine. Its radish-like root is typically dried and ground into a powder that has a caramel, or malty, flavor. You can find it online, in health food stores, and even in some supermarkets. The three varieties (yellow, black, and red) have unique effects on the body, but yellow maca (which yields a light brown powder) is the most popular.

The black variety of maca has been shown to increase sperm count, and research suggests that the rare red maca offers protection against prostate cancer3 and supports bone health. In other words, there are plenty of reasons to experiment with adding maca to your supplement regimen or diet.

Another idea: Add a scoop of maca powder to homemade granola, smoothies, energy balls, cookie dough—the options are virtually endless. One to two tablespoons is a typical serving size, but it's best to start with just ¼ teaspoon to ½ teaspoon every other day so you don't overwhelm your digestive system. You may want to avoid maca before bed—it can be stimulating in some individuals.

Commonly called blue-green algae, spirulina is actually a type of bacteria that grows in saltwater lakes and some freshwater ones. It's been eaten in Africa and Mexico for centuries. Once harvested, spirulina is freeze-dried and sold as a blue-green powder available at health food stores and online.

Spirulina is incredibly nutrient-dense. It boasts several minerals (especially iron), vitamins (beta-carotene and several B vitamins, for starters), antioxidants, protein, and gamma-linoleic acid, a beneficial fatty acid. It's an excellent source of vitamin B12 for vegetarians and vegans because not many plant foods contain high levels. Spirulina is also considered a complete protein and is very easy to digest. 

Your heart might benefit from spirulina too.* In various studies, it helped maintain healthy triglyceride and LDL levels6 and support healthy blood pressure7,* all considered risk factors for cardiovascular conditions when levels are elevated. And some athletes swear by spirulina, asserting that it enhances speed, energy, endurance, and mental ability (although limited research supports the endurance claim8).*

Spirulina is a colorful addition to smoothies, like this banana spirulina smoothie. (Sweet fruits like bananas work best to offset the sea-vegetable flavor.) Its savory taste is ideal for dishes like this spirulina quinoa salad.

The ancient Maya of Central America are considered the first people to consume cocoa9, which they called kakawa ("Food of the Gods"). This superfood was also revered in Mesoamerican society, where it was used medicinally in more than 150 ways before eventually making its way to Europe in the mid-1500s. Today you can find pure, unsweetened cacao powder in health food and grocery stores, as well as online.

The melt-in-your-mouth sensation and irresistible taste of chocolate surely have something to do with it, too (at least, that's how we felt).

Namely, this naturally sweetened vegan chocolate mousse, which gets its creaminess and healthy fats from avocado. And this blackberry lemon cacao fudge is sure to satisfy, with a healthy dose of both cacao powder and cacao butter. Try this superfood in other desserts and smoothies too; it's a perfect complement to nutrient-rich nut butters and pairs well with fruit.

These vibrant, sweet, and tangy berries have a history in China, where they're cultivated, dried, and typically enjoyed in soups and herbal tea. Long a part of traditional Chinese medicine14, goji berries are also used to make tinctures, wine, and juice. You need not go to Asia to find goji berries today; their superfruit status has landed them in supermarkets, health food shops, and online stores.

In terms of this superfood's effect on mood, a recent study demonstrated that goji berry extract can alleviate low-level anxiousness (in animals, at least; more research is needed to determine whether it's effective in humans).

This tantalizing four-ingredient carob and goji berry bark recipe is a real winner too. Goji berries make colorful, nutrient-dense additions to salads, smoothie bowls, and muffins as well.

These tiny yet mighty seeds of the Salvia hispanica L. plant were cultivated, eaten, and used as folk medicine in Central and South America as far back as 3500 B.C. They were also given as an offering to the Aztec gods in religious rituals. Today you can buy black and white varieties in health food stores, supermarkets, and online.

Made up of 20% protein, chia seeds are considered a complete protein because they deliver all nine of the essential amino acids that the body can't produce. And there's more good news: Their high fiber content17 can help you stay regular and might keep you feeling full longer, staving off hunger between meals.

Add chia seeds to smoothies, cereal, and juices for a fiber and nutrient boost. They absorb about 10 times their weight in water and develop a gelatinous texture when soaked—perfect for chia seed pudding and this vegan egg replacement (but we recommend not eating them dry, as they soak up the saliva and can make it hard to swallow). Sprinkle a small number of seeds in your oatmeal, salad dressings, and sauces for healthy thickening.

Coconuts come from a type of palm tree grown primarily in tropical regions, including Polynesia and Asia. This iconic fruit is adored worldwide for its refreshing water and slightly nutty-flavored, fat-rich flesh—along with a bevy of products made from these. Look for whole coconuts and related products in health food stores, supermarkets, and online.

Until more research adds clarity, coconut oil is probably best consumed in small amounts as part of a healthy diet. The exception? More might be helpful if you're following a ketogenic diet, according to Jessica Cording, M.S., R.D., CDN, who often prescribes higher amounts for patients seeking therapeutic benefits. 

One of the easiest ways to up your coconut intake is to add unsweetened, dried, and shredded coconut meat to oatmeal, granola, and trail mix. Feeling ambitious? Cook up a coconut cream and raspberry tart or some coconut crepes with coconut yogurt and berries. A turmeric golden latte made with coconut milk and oil is another tasty option to fortify body and mind. Then again, nothing beats sipping the water (and spooning out the flesh) of a fresh coconut beneath a palm tree on a tropical isle, if you ask me.

Originating in Central Asia, the herb known as hemp was cultivated for fiber in China as far back as 2800 B.C. These days, the nutrient-rich seeds and hemp seed oil are increasingly popular in the West. You can find raw hulled hemp seeds (or hemp hearts), hemp oil, and hemp milk online and in health food stores.

Hemp milk—an excellent source of protein, minerals, and healthy fats—is also made from the seeds.

Hulled hemp seeds or hemp hearts can be eaten raw and are easy to add to a wide range of foods. Sprinkle hemp seeds in smoothies or on yogurt, oatmeal, and salads. Or dip fresh veggies into this hemp hummus. You can make your own hemp milk or buy it by the carton to add to coffee, cereal, smoothies, and baked goods. For salads, grilled veggies, and savory dishes, hemp oil is the perfect finishing touch to drizzle on before serving.

Flaxseed has been used medicinally for thousands of years in ayurveda (traditional Indian medicine). Hippocrates mentioned its medicinal use in his writing, and medieval medicinal-herb books from Asia and Europe reference it as well. Today you can buy whole flaxseeds, flax meal (ground-up seeds), and flaxseed oil in supermarkets, health food stores, and online.

These super seeds and oil help balance estrogen in the body, thanks to their phytoestrogenic lignans (plant estrogens)—and balanced estrogen levels help protect against conditions related to high estrogen levels.* Flaxseeds have even been found to help alleviate menopausal symptoms20.*

You can add flaxseeds to meatballs and other ground beef recipes too. Their mild flavor means you probably won't even taste the difference. And don't forget about flaxseed oil. Smoothies, salads, soups, and other dishes become even more nutrient-rich with a healthy drizzle of the potent stuff.

Of course, these aren't the only superfoods out there. Acai, bee products (honey, propolis, and others), aloe vera, wheatgrass, and seaweed are just a few of the many others you'll find. But the ones covered here have the most energy- and mood-enhancing power to help you make the most of your day, every day.*