Happy Meals: Good-Mood Foods

Whether you need to de-stress or increase energy, these seven mood foods will prep you for any situation

For a Tough Workout:
Studies show that a jolt of java an hour or so before exercise increases endurance. Low-fat chocolate milk, meanwhile, makes for an excellent post-workout recovery drink: Its protein-to-carb ratio is ideal for repairing and strengthening muscles.

Before a Presentation:
Settle your nerves with oatmeal, which will keep your blood sugar stable. Still feeling frazzled? The vitamin C in oranges reduces the stress hormone cortisol.

To Get in the Mood:
Forget oysters. Red-hot chili peppers stimulate your libido on two fronts: They fool the body into thinking it’s in pain, flooding the brain with endorphins as well as speeding up blood flow (enhancing pleasure).

Before Bed:
Anyone who has feasted for Thanksgiving knows turkey can induce some serious sleepiness, but bananascontain the same snooze-chemical, tryptophan.