Eating the right foods can have a positive impact on a person's mood and even help banish the January blues, one expert has said.

Patrick Holford, author of the Feel Good Factor, emphasised that with Blue Monday - or January 24th, as it is better known - just around the corner, people need to stay positive.

As a result, he urged home cooks to conjure up recipes using foods that make individuals feel great, namely those that are high in "serotonin, vitamin D, vitamin B and omega 3 fats".

He told Scotland on Sunday: "Modern Man is the Knackered Ape, with huge numbers of visits to GPs being about low mood and chronic fatigue."

The Daily Telegraph recently reported that healthy eating should be undertaken 80 per cent of the time, with treats only indulged in every so often.

It highlighted that some of the best mood-improving recipes include lemon grass chicken skewers with a spicy squash salad.