Airport Uses “Happy Hormones” in Food to Keep Travelers in Good Mood

Feeling cranky and low? From now until the end of August, passengers can fill up on mood-boosting food at eateries at the airport.

A good trip is never a given, but now passengers at London’s Gatwick Airport (LGW) can get their travels off to a happy start with a mood-boosting meal.

The airport announced last week that eight of its eateries have teamed up with a nutritionist to serve special meals packed with serotonin-rich ingredients. Thought to regulate mood, serotonin is naturally produced by humans, but it’s also believed that the consumption of certain foods can have an impact on levels of this chemical within the brain.

Salmon and tuna, along with bananas, oats, citrus fruits, soy products, spinach, kale, sesame seeds, green tea and chickpeas are thought to boost serotonin. With these ingredients in mind, there are a range of eats on offer throughout the month of August across the airport’s two terminals. In the South Terminal, Wondertree will be offering a smoothie made with pineapple, pear, banana, papaya and orange juice. In the North Terminal, savory offerings include Frankie & Benny’s salmon citrus salad and Yo Sushi’s albacore tuna and truffle ponzu.

Passengers hoping for a lift should look out for smiley face emojis next to mood-boosting options on menus, but for those who expect happiness to be handed to them on a plate, nutritionist Jo Travers issues a few words of caution.

While there are certain foods that will keep the ‘happy’ chemicals flowing, in an interview with the Telegraph last week, she explained that, “Two key players are the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine, along with amino acids tryptophan and theanine, which can contribute to the creation of serotonin, known to most as ‘happy hormones’.”

Low levels of any of these hormones, Travers said, can lead to fatigue and low mood. But, as LGW’s business development manager Charlotte Christiansen explains, the goal of these special meals is to increase passenger happiness, something of paramount importance to the overall travel experience.

“Passenger experience and happiness is a top priority,” said Christiansen. “We want to help travelers start their holidays early from the moment they step foot in Gatwick.”

[Photo: iStock]