Symptoms of depression can include sadness, despair, insomnia, and a loss of appetite. But eating the right foods can help brighten the mood for people who are down in the dumps, author and biochemist Shawn Talbott told Everyday Health magazine.

Here are five foods that can help people beat the blues.

Turkey
Turkey eaters have a biological reason for thanksgiving. Most lean sources of protein help fight depression but turkey is the food that accomplishes that best because of its abundance of the chemical tryptophan, behaviorist and author Robin H-C told Everyday Health. She said tryptophan spurs the body’s production of serotonin, “a natural feel-good chemical.”

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Oatmeal
This comfort food also helps your brain produce serotonin, according to Prevention magazine. It said studies have shown that children who eat oatmeal for breakfast stay sharper as the morning progresses.

Fatty Fish
The omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fish such as tuna, mackerel, wild salmon and blue fish have “specific brain boosting properties to fight depression” and also are good for overall health, Talbott told Everyday Health. WebMD reported one scientific study showed people who rarely eat fish are more likely to suffer from depression, while another showed that societies that don’t get enough omega-3 fatty acids may have higher rates of depression than societies that get sufficient amounts of omega-3.

Low-Fat Dairy
Low-fat dairy items such as skim milk, low-fat cheese and yogurt produce peptides, which are proteins that “induce a sense of well-being and relaxation,” Talbott told Everyday Health. Such foods are also rich in protein, Vitamin D and calcium, which are all great for your body, Everyday Health said.

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Whole Grains
The body also gets help releasing serotonin from the consumption of whole grains, whole wheat pasta, oatmeal, sweet potatoes and brown rice, author and stress management expert Debbie Mandel told Everyday Health. “Complex carbohydrates are wonderful foods to improve mood quickly,” she said.

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