8 Notable Foods That Help Reduce Stress

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Nutrition is crucial in  achieving health and fitness goals. To achieve optimal health, you must have a well-balanced diet paired with a fitness program. If you eat the right foods you can decrease the risk of health problems and lower stress levels.

Stress is present when there is emotional tension or circumstances that involve pressure. Every person addresses stress in different ways. Some deal with it through emotional eating while others might not eat at all.

You can imagine the impact stress has on fitness goals. It is constantly fluctuating, which increases the need for certain nutrients. The food choices you make can either increase or decrease stress levels, so it’s crucial to monitor your feelings based on the foods you eat. 

Let’s take a closer look at stress and how you can reduce it by eating certain foods.

What is Stress?

Stress is a natural response that prepares the body for change. As the brain responds to new demands, it undergoes stress. During stressful situations, the body releases a chemical called cortisol.

Cortisol is a catabolic stress hormone known as the fight or flight response. This hormone increases energy production in the body. If you are stressed, then your cortisol levels are high.

Muscle breakdown occurs during weight lifting. As a result of this stress, inflammation increases in the body. This inflammatory response is natural but could be harmful if not addressed.

Chronic stress damages healthy tissue and leads to disorders like arthritis. This impacts bone and joint health.

Another chemical released during stress is creatine kinase. This chemical helps the body repair from intense training. Stress drives creatine kinase production, but too much can become toxic to the body.

How Exactly Do Healthy Foods Reduce Stress?

The nutrients in food affect people in many ways—providing energy, eliciting an allergic reaction, initiating the production of hormones, and more. Three ways foods help reduce stress include the following: 

Increasing Serotonin Production

Macronutrients—carbs, fat, and protein—supply the body with energy in the form of calories. The body and brain are fueled through the main energy source of complex carbohydrates. These regulate blood sugar in the body.

Carbohydrates increase serotonin production in the brain and help stabilize blood pressure. Serotonin is the hormone that makes you feel happy. An increase in serotonin helps decrease stress, depression, and inflammation.

Low levels of serotonin can lead to:

  • Sadness

  • Depressed moods

  • Low energy 

  • Tension

  • Sweet cravings

Supplying Alpha-Lactalbumin

A well-known supplement for building muscle is whey protein, made of protein and lactase. And it can reduce stress through its main protein ingredient, alpha-lactalbumin. 

This protein contains a high level of an essential amino acid called tryptophan. It helps reduce cortisol and increase serotonin. You should obtain tryptophan and protein from food.

Delivering Fatty Acids

Lastly, a healthy fat contains omega-3 fatty acids. Long-chain fatty acids help reduce stress hormones and protect against depression symptoms. They also heavily influence inflammation.

Which Foods Reduce Stress?

Food choices affect serotonin levels, which in turn influences happiness. Eating the right foods can help improve physical, emotional, and mental stress. 

Stress depletes the body of many vitamins and minerals, such as vitamins C, B, and E. Even more of a reason to replenish lost nutrients. You must know how to adjust your diet to effectively combat stress.

Let’s look at foods that provide nutrients to help reduce stress. 

Avocado

Avocado is a fruit packed with lots of nutrients like vitamin C and magnesium. The main ingredient that has the largest effect on stress is magnesium. This mineral helps support bone structure, blood pressure, and heart rate. This anti-stress nutrient helps relieve body tension and improves sleep. 

Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate is a form of chocolate loaded with cocoa. This antioxidant improves one's stress level, blood pressure, and circulation. High-quality dark chocolate will have up to 85% cocoa.

It includes nutrients such as:

  • Magnesium

  • Iron

  • Manganese

  • Potassium

  • Zinc

  • Copper

Use dark chocolate moderately, as it does have sugar. 

Fish 

Fish is another great food to reduce stress. Fatty fish like salmon contains vitamin D and omega 3 fatty acids. The EPA and DHA make up the fatty acid itself. They are anti-inflammatory and help relieve symptoms of depression. Omega-3 fatty acids also have potential to benefit people with mood disorders.

Fruit

Fruits contain high levels of Vitamin C. This is one of many vitamins that improve the immune system. Oranges, strawberries, and blueberries are full of antioxidants and phytonutrients.

Phytonutrients serve as the body's defense mechanisms to help fight free radicals. This increases white blood cells and stops healthy cells from being damaged. 

Yogurt

Probiotic foods like yogurt help improve gut health. The brain controls everything including digestion. Having a healthy bowel environment can impact the brain and emotions. The brain and gut connection happens most when you are nervous or anxious. If you have ever experienced the stomach “butterflies” you know the feeling.

Turkey

Remember the benefits of whey protein on stress management? The high amounts of tryptophan from protein contribute to hunger and happiness. Turkey is a protein that contains high levels of this essential amino acid. The protein makes niacin in the body, which helps create and distribute serotonin.

Oatmeal 

Complex carbs do not spike blood sugar levels like simple sugars do. When you are stressed blood sugar levels increase. Because oatmeal is a complex carbohydrate, it helps supply the brain with fuel. The more fuel the brain has, the more serotonin it produces. This helps regulate symptoms of depression.

Leafy Green Vegetables

An imbalance between antioxidant levels and free radicals leads to oxidative stress. Vegetables like kale, spinach, and celery help fight inflammation and relieve this stress.

Green leafy vegetables contain nutrients like magnesium and folate that contribute to relaxation. When you are stressed, B vitamins are depleted from the body. Folic acid is a B-vitamin that helps convert carbohydrates to energy. This affects dopamine levels in the body, a hormone that influences how you feel pleasure and satisfaction, such as with food cravings. 

Limit Consumption of Certain Food Groups

Just as some foods can help reduce stress, others can increase it. Sugar is one of the most popular nutrients that contribute to inflammation. Consuming too much sugar leads to increased insulin levels. When insulin levels are drastically increased, those levels eventually drop. This is where energy crashes come from.

That constant fluctuation affects mood and emotions. High levels of inflammation and stress cause damage to healthy tissues and hormones. Avoid physical and emotional complications by limiting the following types of foods or nutrients:

  • White flour

  • Processed foods including meat, carbs, and junk food

  • Salt

  • Refined sugar

  • Alcohol 

  • Fried foods

  • Juices and sodas

  • Caffeine

  • Avoid ALL Fast Food Restaurants

Reference:

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