“Life is great. Cheese makes it better”- Avery Aames
You won’t believe that women experiencing sad moods are much more inclined towards fat-rich foods than men. This is because fat-rich foods like cheese trigger the release of serotonin levels in the brain. As a prime dairy product, cheese increases serotonin by reducing stress.
What is serotonin?
Serotonin called the ‘feel-good hormone’ manages your body functions. Similarly, it sends signals to your brain’s nerves through a neurobiological connection. Moreover, it helps in improving emotions; when you feel depressed. It is known as ‘the magical chemical’ to enhance our mood.
Mechanism of serotonin production from cheese
Tryptamine, a neuroactive compound (NAC) is produced from the decarboxylation of L-tryptophan in cheese. This enzymatic process involves bacteria isolation, fluorometry screening, and 16s rRNA sequencing of L-tryptophan. This promotes gut regulation by delivering signals from food, directly into your central nervous system. As a serotonin-releasing agent (SRA), tryptamine in cheese acts as an anti-depressant.
Source: (Arranz et al., 2024)
On the other hand, tryptophan is an amino acid that produces sleep-promoting chemicals in the brain. For example, mozzarella and cheddar cheese are eaten before bed to benefit sleep. Tryptophan assists in longer sleep durations along with balance in the blood sugar levels. 90% of lactobacilli are isolated in the first stage of the tryptamine production. Therefore, a positive relationship forms between ‘cheese tryptamine content’ and the ‘number of tryptamine-producing bacteria isolated’.
Can cheese make you happy?
Cheese consists of a special amino acid called ‘tryptophan’, which boosts your serotonin level. Accordingly, Healthline ranks cheese among the top 7 serotonin-boosting foods. Likewise, we consider it as ‘the best therapist’ to lift our spirits with a low consultation fee.
However, cheese has bioactive peptides that influence your emotions through the gut-brain axis. For more information, read Is cheese really good for health?
Influence of gut-brain axis in serotonin
The ‘gut-brain axis’ is a pathway through which neurobiological signals are exchanged in your body. According to Buey et al. (2023), peptides, enzymes, and lipids as milk properties regulate the neurotransmitter. Likewise, the neurotransmitter creates an impact on the serotonin level through cheese. Therefore, cheese isn’t just delicious but also induces true happiness within us.
Dollons ensures the highest quality in milk processing, to provide nutritious dairy products.
Visit our site, to learn more.
Referred work:
Arranz, D., Fernández, E., Szekeres, B., Carvalho, A., Rio, B. del, Redruello, B., & Alvarez, M. A. (2024). Tryptamine accumulates in cheese mainly via the decarboxylation of tryptophan by lactic acid bacteria. Food Research International, 115380. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2024.115380
Buey, B., Layunta, E., Latorre, E., & Mesonero, J. E. (2023). Potential role of milk bioactive peptides on the serotonergic system and the gut-brain axis. International Dairy Journal, 137, 105534.
