Give your body the tools it needs to make the reward chemical dopamine with these five dietitian-recommended foods

Person holding knife and fork above plae of smoked salmon, a boiled egg and salad — (Image credit: Getty Images / Olga Rolenko)

Do you get a rush of satisfaction when you complete a task or receive positive feedback from a coworker? That feeling might be partially caused by dopamine.

“Dopamine is a neurotransmitter [chemical messenger] involved in motivation, reward, focus and mood regulation,” says Ilana Schachter, RDN, a registered dietitian and nutritionist for Consumer Health Digest.

Dopamine is a key component in feelings of anticipation, achievement and pleasure, while a lack of dopamine, or poorly regulated dopamine, can leave us feeling unmotivated, scatterbrained and emotionally flat.

Nutrients we need to make dopamine

I asked Schachter what nutrients are needed to make dopamine. She identified the following mixture of amino acids, vitamins, minerals and fats as a priority:

Amino acid: tyrosine.
Minerals: iron and magnesium.
Vitamins: folate, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12.
Fatty acids: omega-3.

Ensuring you consume a sufficient amount of the above nutrients involves choosing rich dietary sources. Here are the five foods that Schachter recommends adding to your diet.

1. Salmon

View from rear of oven of tray of salmon fillets and man in gray button-up shirt with hands in oven gloves.

Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are important for the function of neurotransmitters, like dopamine.

“Omega-3s have been linked to improved mood regulation and may support dopamine signaling pathways,” says Schachter.

Serving suggestion: Eat three to four ounces, two or three times per week. Try baked salmon with lemon and herbs over quinoa or in a salad bowl.

2. Eggs

“Eggs are one of the best dietary sources of tyrosine, the direct amino acid precursor to dopamine,” says Schachter. “As well as vitamin B6 and B12, which are essential for neurotransmitter production.”

Serving suggestion: Four to five times a week, aim to incorporate an egg or two into your meals. Try scrambled eggs with spinach, or hard-boiled eggs as a snack.

3. Leafy greens

Person holding a bowl of spinach in both hands

“Leafy greens provide folate, magnesium and antioxidants, which support brain function and dopamine production,” says Schachter. “Folate deficiency has been associated with mood disturbances.”

Serving suggestion: Consume a cup or two daily in salads, smoothies, sautéed as a side, or mixed into eggs and grain bowls.

4. Dark chocolate (70% or higher)

Hands breaking off a piece of dark chocolate

“Dark chocolate contains compounds such as flavanols and small amounts of caffeine and theobromine, which may support mood and feelings of pleasure,” says Schachter. “It also contains magnesium, which plays a role in neurological function.”

Serving suggestion: Have one or two small squares (about one ounce) as a treat.

5. Cashews

“Cashews are a good source of magnesium, zinc and iron, nutrients involved in nervous system regulation and neurotransmitter function—including dopamine signaling pathways,” says Schachter.

“Magnesium also plays a role in stress modulation and mood stability.”

Serving suggestion: Eat a small handful as a snack, blended into sauces, or added to stir-fries and grain bowls.

Lou Mudge is a Health Writer at Future Plc, working across Fit&Well and Coach. She previously worked for Live Science, and regularly writes for Space.com and Pet's Radar. Based in Bath, UK, she has a passion for food, nutrition and health and is eager to demystify diet culture in order to make health and fitness accessible to everybody.

Multiple diagnoses in her early twenties sparked an interest in the gut-brain axis and the impact that diet and exercise can have on both physical and mental health. She was put on the FODMAP elimination diet during this time and learned to adapt recipes to fit these parameters, while retaining core flavors and textures, and now enjoys cooking for gut health.