SPEECH 101

INFORMATIVE SPEECH OUTLINE

NAME:

INFORMATIVE SPEECH TOPIC:

DATE:

COURSE AND SECTION:

Informative Speech Outline

TOPIC: The Concept of Happy Foods

INTRODUCTION:

I. Attention Getter – In 2009 the American College Health Association assessment found that nearly 30% of college students reported feeling so depressed that it was difficult to function.

II. Thesis Statement – Food can help to increase your mood and reduce symptoms of depression, hence some foods are called “happy foods”.

III. Preview – Three foods that have been known to aid emotional health are: a). chocolate b) salmon and c) berries

Transition : Chocolate is probably one of the more familiar foods that come to mind when discus sing the mood changing abilities of food.

BODY:

I. Chocolate

Many of us love chocolate, and unlike many food that we love, chocolate is also very good for us. It is said to have properties that make individuals feel good. It contains an exceptionally high amount of phenylethylamine, a stimulant associated with love and sexual attraction. This stimulant affects blood pressure and blood sugar levels, giving a feeling of excitement. This according to Schwarcz and Berkoff (2010) in their book “An A-Z Guide to Safe and Healthy eating”..

A study from Holland showed that Dutch men who ate 1/3 of a dark chocolate bar each day had lower levels of blood pressure, and lower rates of heart disease; this from an article on “Foods to make you feel better” on the WebMD website.

Dark chocolate is better than white for enhancing moods

Even chocolate as a warm or cold drink is beneficial.

A small piece of chocolate everyday goes a long way towards good health..

(The above from “The Early Show”, at the official CBS News website)

Transition: Another unexpected food source that aids in lowering the risk of depression is salmon

II Salmon.

Jay Whelan, Ph. D., head of the department of Nutrition at the University of Tennessee, says, omega 3s from fish seem to have positive effects on clinically defined mood swings such as postpartum depression. In fact an excerpt in the Reader’s Digest, May 2011, suggests that not only is salmon rich in omega 3s, but that the fatty acids it contains had the same effect as the anti depressant Prozac

(Other claims and supporting evidence about salmon)

Transition: If fish is not a favorite food choice and too much chocolate gives you a headache, berries are great if you are feeling down.

III Berries

I personally like berries, as they……….. (this statement will add credibility to your speech)

Berries contain folic acid which helps prevent disorders of the nervous system, according to Mike Reynolds, a doctor from the UCLA medical center.

(Other claims and supporting evidence about berries)

Transition: In summary, I will remind you of some of the important ideas I provided

CONCLUSION:

Food definitely impacts your mood and can make you feel happy, or at least, less depressed.

Review

Chocolate not only tastes great, but it is also great for your mood. Try to have a bit of fish a few times a week you will feel “swimmingly”. In addition, grab a handful of berries the next time you are feeling stressed out.

Memorable thought

With our food choices an ounce of prevention is always better than any cure.

(Thank the audience for listening)

REFERENCES

Benefit of berries, The. (n.d.). Arthritistoday .org. Retrieved October 15, 2012,

from http://www.arthritistoday.org/nutrition-and-weight-loss/healthy-eating/good-food/berries-benefits.php

Bradley, C. (n.d.). Food mood swings-Can what you eat affect your mood?

Healthy Lifestyles. Retrieved October 15, 2012 from http://whatscookingamerica.net/CharlotteBradley/HealthyFoodMoods.htm

Depression and College students. (n.d.). NIMH A. Retrieved October 13, 2012, from

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/depression-and-college-students/complete-index.shtml

Foods to help you feel better. (n.d.). WebMD. Retrieved, October 15, 2012, from

http://www.webmd.com/depression/features/foods-feel-better?page=4

Newitz, A. (n.d.). Ten Everyday foods that can affect you like drugs. Io9.

Retrieved October 14, 2012, from http://io9.com/5765110/10-everyday-foods-that-can-affect-you-like-drugs

Scharcz, J.A., & Berkoff, F. G., (2010). Foods that harm, foods that heal: An A-Z guide

to safe and healthy eating. New York, NY: Metro Books