.. and this is meant quite literally. While ‘being sour’ has a definite negative ring to it, sour foods and drinks can lift your mood. Now, I obviously don’t want you to raid your fridge of all your sour gherkins in one go, but it is definitely worth checking out the effects of having something sour from time to time.
In Chinese medicine, stress and anger energetically belong to the Chinese Liver organ and the sour taste is associated with the Liver. Ingesting something sour is called ‘softening’ the liver, making your feelings and emotions less rigid and tense.
Give it a try for a couple of weeks: Drink some warm water with lemon juice or apple cider vinegar in the morning.
For the Western science inclined, there are a few studies that make a connection between sour foods and the release of serotonin, which can support sleep, memory, and mood amongst other things.