Stress-Reducing Healthy Foods You Should Know

Superfoods for stress-free lifestyle!

Stress is a feeling that induces emotional and physical tension. It emanates from situations or events or stressors that cause you to be nervous, angry, disappointed, and desperate. Stressors are common in our contemporary world; for instance, the current pandemic, covid-19, is one of the stressors to many people worldwide because almost everyone is affected either directly or indirectly.

In a short moment, stress may positively impact your body when reacting to a challenge or danger. However, long-term stress can lead to chronic illnesses like high blood pressure, depression, heart attack, and more. This happens where stress induces adrenaline hormone release, which influences the rise in high blood pressure levels.

Many studies reveal that healthy food can help in reducing stress. So what foods can you incorporate into your diet to help reduce stress? We did the research and we’ll present 6 foods to reduce stress. Try them out and make sure to get back to us with your experience!

1. Eggs

Wait! Over many years, people believed in falsehoods that eggs are the major causes of cholesterol. It's a lie; eggs not only source proteins but also offer tryptophan and vitamin B types, where the two work effectively in tension management. In this case, vitamin B lowers anxiety and depression symptoms while tryptophan improves your moods and sleep.

Therefore, eggs are reliable stress reduction food that promotes body stability. They are available all around you. Having eggs for breakfast will keep you active, make you feel full and less craving, which could trigger overeating. Further, if you are in a weight loss program, eggs can lower the number of meals per day.

2. Blueberries

A taste of delicious blueberries!

Yes, those bluish, purple fruits produced by flowering shrubs effectively normalize your body when suffering from stress and depression. Blueberries supply vitamin C; this lowers the adverse effects of stress-causing hormones. Healthy food advice from nutritionists calls for daily intakes of foods rich in vitamins C. 

When you’re stressed, the stress hormone cortisol causes a reduction of vitamin C. Hence, your body needs a constant supply of vitamin C. Otherwise, insufficient of it would mean more stress and less resistance to diseases or infections. Consume blueberries relentlessly, and you’ll no doubt lower stress.

 3. Oatmeal

Want to have a heavy breakfast? Oatmeal as your breakfast can give you both physical and emotional strength. This healthy food contains complex carbohydrates that are responsible for stimulating serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter located in the brain, which, when activated, lowers emotional conditions like stress, depression, and others.

As if that isn't enough, serotonin has antioxidant properties to soothe and neutralize toxic chemicals or preservatives in your body ingested through processed nutrition. Oatmeal is a healthy food nutrition ingredient that can be consumed in a variety of ways. Most people prefer blending oatmeal with foods such as nuts, blueberries, and bananas.

4. Chamomile Tea

Ever heard of chamomile? If so, what was your perception? Around 90% of people who know this tea assume it as a hack to treat insomnia to individuals who have sleeplessness. That’s just a fraction of many health benefits you can reap from this priceless herbal tea. Like other tea types, you can serve chamomile tea with bread, protein cookies, or other snacks, which still tastes great.

What makes chamomile tea ideal stress relief food is the flavonoid apigenin, a substance present in this tea that acts as a natural sedative for stress and anxiety management. This healthy food provides great pre-workout energy, helps in coping with menstrual pain, helps you sleep better, help soothe cold symptoms, among many other benefits!

5. Milk

Among the superfoods in existence, milk leads in terms of health factors. Milk is not just a drink, but food in liquid form. Firstly, milk contains vitamins D, which is responsible for enhancing happiness while also boosting satisfaction. Another main ingredient is lactic, which reduces stress by lowering blood pressure, bringing a calming effect.

When you’re stressed up, the body releases a stress hormone known as cortisol. But, after consuming milk, the lactic ingredient will suppress this hormone to lower levels. So when you plan for a healthy food diet, remember to incorporate milk.

6. Turmeric

Turmeric - spicing stress off!

Closing this list is turmeric, a spice that plays a significant role as a health food for depression and stress. This spice contains curcumin, a compound useful in fighting anxiety and boosting brain health. Turmeric facilitates the processing of omega 3 acids in the body, which further works as anti-anxiety, antioxidant, and ant-inflammation.

Turmeric fights stress by reducing cytokines; stress markers while also boosting antioxidant levels to personalities with anxieties. Since turmeric has no adverse effect, why not incorporate it into your diet if you suffer any form of anxiety? 

These are not the only food that shows useful properties to alleviate anxiety and depression. Moreover, you should also note that in some instances, studies are done on animals. Human research is necessary to ascertain how reliable they are in reducing stress and depression.

Conclusion

Factually, when stressors hit, they trigger the release of stress hormones, increasing your food craving. Funny enough, in most cases, anxiety makes you crave high caloric foods, which is why so many people, when stressed, their weights add up. This healthy food guide aims at helping people manage stress through diet. Combating stress can be possible through exercise and relaxation. This can be smoothly achievable through the consumption of nutritious foods.

Welcoming the day with stress-reducing health foods can energize your body while boosting the moods. Incorporating some of these diets in your breakfast can help you fight off stress triggers, allowing you to enjoy tremendous health benefits.

Have you ever taken any of these foodstuffs when stressed? If so, did you find relief? Please share with us; your feedback is highly appreciated!

Author's Bio:

Kevin Nelson has been writing content for about 3 years. He really wants to share his experiences and advice with anyone who cares about health and fitness. He enjoys helping people achieve their fitness goals with simple instructions and overcoming any obstacles on the way.

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