Article Summary:
- Certain foods contain the nutrient anandamide, while others have compounds that act as precursors to anandamide production in the body.
- Chocolates, truffles, cruciferous vegetables, berries, protein foods, and certain spices and herbs are known as “anandamide foods” that naturally support healthy brain function.
- An anandamide nutritional supplement, in addition to anandamide-rich foods, can also enhance the level of this important endocannabinoid.
It might not seem obvious, but the foods you eat can affect your brain health to a great extent. Several studies1 show a correlation between brain function and overall diet composition, including specific dietary components like anandamide.
Chemically, anandamide is a naturally occurring derivative of arachidonic acid that can stimulate a sense of happiness and mental well-being.* Including this ‘bliss molecule’ in your diet can promote and optimize a wide range of health functions, including memory, sleep, appetite, and healthy responses to mood changes and stress.*
Below, we discuss several anandamide-rich foods that can naturally support brain function and how an anandamide supplement can help fill in nutritional gaps in your diet.
Anandamide-Rich Foods to Include in Your Diet
Anandamide is an endocannabinoid, a lipid-based neurotransmitter produced inside the body. When you include food sources that contain anandamide in your diet, you stimulate its natural production. Some food sources, like cocoa beans and truffles, contain anandamide, while other foods contain compounds that act as anandamide precursors to increase this endocannabinoid’s activity or level in the body.
The following table lists food sources for natural support of your body’s anandamide production.
| Vegetables and fruits | Vegetables and fruits contain kaempferol — a flavonoid that inhibits the action of the enzyme fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), which can delay the enzyme’s breakdown of anandamide. Cruciferous, yellow, and green leafy vegetables, such as kale, cabbage, green beans, cucumber, squash, tomatoes, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts. Fruits such as berries (gooseberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries), apples, grapes, citrus fruits, peaches, and grapefruit. |
| Proteins | Meat, fish, seafood, and eggs are rich sources of arachidonic acid — an essential polyunsaturated fatty acid responsible for generating anandamide naturally. |
| Spices and herbs | Black pepper and long pepper contain guineensine — a novel plant compound that inhibits the cellular uptake of anandamide. Herbs like dill, chives, saffron, and tarragon contain kaempferol that inhibits FAAH activity. |
| Beverages | Beverages like tea — particularly green and black Kenyan tea — also contain kaempferol. |
| Chocolate | The mood-boosting effects of chocolate are attributed2 to cacao beans or nibs, which contain various beneficial compounds, including anandamide. The less processed the chocolate (without sugar) you consume, the more beneficial its effects will be. |
| Truffles | Studies find3 these underground mushrooms contain endocannabinoid metabolic enzymes, as well as anandamide. |
In addition to these food sources, a nutritional supplement that contains anandamide can also help stimulate its production in your body to support your mental well-being.*
Optimize Your Brain Health With a Potent Anandamide Supplement*
Anandamide’s positive influence on various brain activities, including memory, sleep, appetite, and others, has been studied4 extensively.* The amino acid L-citrulline is a precursor of L-arginine, a key component in the production of nitric oxide (NO), which is known for relaxing blood vessels and enhancing blood supply to the brain, thereby playing a role in inducing neuronal activities. Tesseract Medical Research has developed AnaQuell® — a powerful supplement formulation that takes advantage of the therapeutic benefits of both anandamide and L-citrulline to promote a healthy response to mild anxiety (not General Anxiety Disorder), mood changes, stress, and trauma.*
To further enhance the body’s absorption of anandamide, the AnaQuell formulation utilizes Tesseract’s revolutionary CyLoc® – DexKey® nutrient delivery system, leading to more positive therapeutic outcomes. CyLoc® technology encases individual molecules of the active ingredient in a dextrin fiber delivery cage to maintain its integrity during transit through the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Tesseract’s DexKey® technology enables the targeted delivery of billions of active ingredient molecules – one molecule at a time, at the desired release point in the GI tract for maximum absorption. This optimal delivery capability enables micro-dosing of the active ingredients in a single capsule, resulting in a powerful physiological response.
AnaQuell®’s innovative formula is available in a sustained release (SR) format, for prolonged support of your mental and emotional well-being.*
The power of Tesseract supplements lies in enhancing palatability, maximizing bioavailability and absorption, and micro-dosing multiple nutrients in a single, highly effective capsule. Shop products on our website and learn more about how they can help support neurological health.*
Citations
1Ekstrand B, et al. Nutrition Reviews vol. 79,6 (2021): 693-708. doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuaa091
2Nehlig A. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology vol. 75,3 (2013): 716-727. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2125.2012.04378.x
3Pacioni G, et al. Phytochemistry vol. 110 (2015): 104-110. doi:10.1016/j.phytochem.2014.11.012
4Scherma M, et al. Acta Pharmacologica Sinica vol. 40,3 (2019): 309-323. doi:10.1038/s41401-018-0075-x
