All food is NOT neutral

[tabatha]

Seratonin
In humans, serotonin levels are affected by diet. An increase in the ratio of tryptophan to phenylalanine and leucine will increase serotonin levels. Fruits with a good ratio include dates, papayas and bananas. Foods with a lower ratio inhibit the production of serotonin. These include whole wheat and rye bread.<13> Research also suggests eating a diet rich in carbohydrates and low in protein will increase serotonin by secreting insulin, which helps in amino acid competition.<14> However, increasing insulin for a long period may trigger the onset of insulin resistance, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and lower serotonin levels. Muscles use many of the amino acids except tryptophan, allowing men to have more serotonin than women.<15> Myo-inositol, a carbocyclic polyol present in many foods, is known to play a role in serotonin modulation.<16>
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serotonin

Melatonin
Melatonin has been identified in many plants.<3> The physiological roles of melatonin in plants involve regulation of their response to photoperiod, defense against harsh environments, and the function of an antioxidant. The latter may be the original function of melatonin in organisms with the others being added during evolution.<22> Melatonin has been reported in foodstuffs including bananas and grapes, rice and cereals, herbs, olive oil, wine and beer. While no food has been found to elevate plasma melatonin levels in humans,<12> when other animals consume melatonin-containing food, blood levels of melatonin do increase.<11>
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melatonin
Note:
First, serotonin is a biochemical precursor of melatonin ....
http://scienceblogs.com/clock/2006/11/serotonin_melatonin_immunity_a.php

Antioxidants
An antioxidant is a molecule capable of inhibiting the oxidation of other molecules. Oxidation is a chemical reaction that transfers electrons from a substance to an oxidizing agent. Oxidation reactions can produce free radicals. In turn, these radicals can start chain reactions that damage cells. Antioxidants terminate these chain reactions by removing free radical intermediates, and inhibit other oxidation reactions. They do this by being oxidized themselves, so antioxidants are often reducing agents such as thiols, ascorbic acid or polyphenols.<1>
Antioxidants are found in varying amounts in foods such as vegetables, fruits, grain cereals, eggs, meat, legumes and nuts. Some antioxidants such as lycopene and ascorbic acid can be destroyed by long-term storage or prolonged cooking.<203><204> Other antioxidant compounds are more stable, such as the polyphenolic antioxidants in foods such as whole-wheat cereals and tea.<205><206> The effects of cooking and food processing are complex, as these processes can also increase the bioavailability of antioxidants, such as some carotenoids in vegetables.<207> In general, processed foods contain fewer antioxidants than fresh and uncooked foods, since the preparation processes may expose the food to oxygen.<208>
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antioxidant

Coenzyme Q10
Coenzyme Q10 also known as ubiquinone, ubidecarenone, coenzyme Q, and abbreviated at times to CoQ10 /ˌkoʊ ˌkjuː ˈtɛn/, CoQ, Q10, or Q, is a 1,4-benzoquinone, where Q refers to the quinone chemical group, and 10 refers to the number of isoprenyl chemical subunits in its tail.
This oil-soluble, vitamin-like substance is present in most eukaryotic cells, primarily in the mitochondria. It is a component of the electron transport chain and participates in aerobic cellular respiration, generating energy in the form of ATP. Ninety-five percent of the human body’s energy is generated this way.<1><2> Therefore, those organs with the highest energy requirements—such as the heart, liver and kidney —have the highest CoQ10 concentrations.<3><4><5> There are three redox states of Coenzyme Q10: fully Developments in analytical chemistry have since enabled a more reliable determination of CoQ10 concentrations in various foods (Table below).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coenzyme_Q10

Omega-3
Although omega-3 fatty acids have been known as essential to normal growth and health since the 1930s, awareness of their health benefits has dramatically increased in the past few years.<4> New versions of ethyl esterized omega-3 fatty acids, such as E-EPA and combinations of E-EPA and E-DHA, have drawn attention as highly purified and more effective products than the traditional ones. In the United States, these novel versions are often sold as prescription medications, such as Lovaza. In the European Union, they are available as dietary supplements.

The health benefits of the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids — DHA and EPA omega-3 — are the best known. These benefits were discovered in the 1970s by researchers studying the Greenland Inuit Tribe. The Greenland Inuit people consumed large amounts of fat from seafood, but displayed virtually no cardiovascular disease. The high level of omega-3 fatty acids consumed by the Inuit reduced triglycerides, heart rate, blood pressure, and atherosclerosis. 21. Bang HO, Dyerberg J. Plasma lipids and lipoproteins in Greenlandic west coast Eskimos. Acta Med Scand 1972;192(1-2): 85-94
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omega-3_fatty_acid

Vitamin D
A 2006 study using data on over 4 million cancer patients from 13 different countries showed a marked increase in some cancer risks in countries with less sun and another metastudy found correlations between vitamin D levels and cancer. The authors suggested that intake of an additional 1,000 international units (IU) (or 25 micrograms) of vitamin D daily reduced an individual's colon cancer risk by 50%, and breast and ovarian cancer risks by 30%.<113><114><115><116> Low levels of vitamin D in serum have been correlated with breast cancer disease progression and bone metastases.<111> However, the vitamin D levels of a population do not depend on the solar irradiance to which they are exposed.<117><118><119><120> Moreover, there are genetic factors involved with cancer incidence and mortality which are more common in northern latitudes.<121><122>
Natural sources of vitamin D include:<6>
* Fatty fish species, such as:
o Catfish, 85 g (3 oz) provides 425 IU (5 IU/g)
o Salmon, cooked, 100 g (3.5 oz) provides 360 IU (3.6 IU/g)
o Mackerel, cooked, 100 g (3.5 oz), 345 IU (3.45 IU/g)
o Sardines, canned in oil, drained, 50 g (1.75 oz), 250 IU (5 IU/g)
o Tuna, canned in oil, 100 g (3.5 oz), 235 IU (2.35 IU/g)
o Eel, cooked, 100 g (3.5 oz), 200 IU (2.00 IU/g)
* A whole egg provides 20 IU if egg weighs 60 g (0.33 IU/g)
* Beef liver, cooked, 100 g (3.5 oz), provides 15 IU (0.15 IU/g)
* Fish liver oils, such as cod liver oil, 1 Tbs. (15 ml) provides 1360 IU (90.6 IU/ml)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_D

Magnesium
Because of the important interaction between phosphate and magnesium ions, magnesium ions are essential to the basic nucleic acid chemistry of life, and thus are essential to all cells of all known living organisms. Over 300 enzymes require the presence of magnesium ions for their catalytic action, including all enzymes utilizing or synthesizing ATP, or those that use other nucleotides to synthesize DNA and RNA. ATP exists in cells normally as a chelate of ATP and a magnesium ion.

Plants have an additional use for magnesium in that chlorophylls are magnesium-centered porphyrins. Magnesium deficiency in plants causes late-season yellowing between leaf veins, especially in older leaves, and can be corrected by applying Epsom salts (which is rapidly leached), or else crushed dolomitic limestone to the soil.

Magnesium is a vital component of a healthy human diet. Human magnesium deficiency (including conditions that show few overt symptoms) is relatively common, with only 32% of the United States meeting the RDA-DRI;<16> low levels of magnesium in the body has been associated with the development of a number of human illnesses such as asthma, diabetes, and osteoporosis.<17>

Spices, nuts, cereals, coffee, cocoa, tea, and vegetables are rich sources of magnesium. Green leafy vegetables such as spinach are also rich in magnesium as they contain chlorophyll, which is rich in magnesium. Observations of reduced dietary magnesium intake in modern Western countries compared to earlier generations may be related to food refining and modern fertilizers that contain no magnesium.<18>
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnesium

[GoneOffShore]

1. Comes down to "Eat food, not too much, mostly plants."

[WhiteTara]

2. great info

thanks for posting.

[Odin2005]

3. With regards to Seratonin, that is why SSRIs can cause weight gain.