Finally, microgreens and sprouts make for the perfect topping to any mental-health-supporting meal. “As we’ve defined the key principles in nutritional psychiatry, nutrient density really stands out as a concept to me—and microgreens deliver,” says Ramsey. These youngsters provide a highly concentrated source of minerals8 and phytonutrients9.

You don’t have to settle for bland bean sprouts, either: Options like sunflower seed sprouts make for a crunchy, flavorful addition to any meal (though Ramsey is also known to just eat them by the handful, sometimes dressed in lemon juice and olive oil).

Growing your own greens and sprouts is another way to connect to the remarkable ingredient, says Ramsey: “These foods also have these little mental health lessons for us…. Sprouts give us hope. Sprouts remind us that brain cells continue to grow.”