CLEVELAND -- Depression is a serious illness that can be treated effectively with a doctor's care. But for occasional bouts with the blues, one thing to look at is your diet. Here are some "good mood foods" that have health benefits beyond nutrition.

First on the list is Popeye's favorite: spinach. It is full of vitamin B6 and folate which are both very important for your good mood.

When it comes to fruit, pineapple is a good source of the amino acid tryptophan. Tryptophan is also found in lobster, cottage cheese, turkey, and other foods.

University Hospital Clinical Dietitian Lisa Cimperman said the body needs tryptophan to make seratonin. "Seratonin is a neurotransmitter. This is one of feel-good chemicals in the brain. In fact in individuals who are depressed, we're thinking this may be a deficiency of seratonin in the brain. So it follows if we can increase production we can improve mood," said Cimperman.

Another source of tryptophan are nuts, in particular, sunflower seeds.

Head for the fresh fish counter to get your omega 3 fatty acids, especially plentiful in nuts, flaxseed and salmon. Whole Foods fish monger Kyle Braun explained you can actually see the omega 3's.

"When you see the really thick white lines in the Atlantic salmon it means more omega 3s," said Braun.

If you think a bite of chocolate makes you feel better, it's true. "Chocolate increases dopamine production. We all know that just a little piece of chocolate can help you feel better, the key is a small piece," said Cimperman.

She suggested to keeping portion sizes to about one ounce. And the darker the better. The higher the percentage of cacao the more antioxidants it will contain.

In addition to your diet, it's also important to look at your sleep habits, other stress in your life, and what might be causing your blues. It can be a slippery slope to rely on food to feel better, because it can lead to over eating and weight gain. But if you're making the right food choices, you'll not only feel better but help prevent many other health problems.

Foods that are good sources of tryptophan include lobster, turkey, asparagus, chicken, cottage cheese, spinach, tofu, bananas, sunflower seeds and pineapple.