Do you eat when you’re stressed? Dig into the container of ice cream with your own spoon? Or do you crunch your way through an entire bag of chips? Been there, done that! Picture a raising my hand emoji.
So, stress eating. Not such a terrible thing, after all! As it happens, certain foods can actually help calm you down. Here are some good options:
- Avocado: Avocado has magnesium, which can boost mood and lower anxiety.
- Nuts and seeds: Also a great source of magnesium, as well as healthy fats which help with brain health.
- Whole grains: Carbs help produce serotonin, the feel-good hormone, and to get the most of carb eating, eat complex carbohydrates which help keep you feeling full longer. Complex carbohydrates keep your blood sugar levels steady, which has a great effect on your mood.
- Green leafy vegetables: They have the nutrient folate, which produces dopamine, another pleasure brain chemical.
- Turkey: All proteins contain amino acids, which help you relax, but turkey specifically has tryptophan, which has a particularly calming effect.
- Salmon: Salmon’s anti-inflammatory properties counteract the effects of stress hormones.
- Dark chocolate: Eating dark chocolate can reduce levels of cortisol, a stress hormone. Dark chocolate also lowers blood pressure and creates feelings of euphoria!
- Berries: Because they’re packed with vitamin C eating berries calms stress.
- Cashews: A good source of zinc- a natural mood booster.
- Asparagus: Eating asparagus can be calming, due to their folate content.
- Yogurt: The protein and probiotics are helpful for calming you down and controlling anxiety.