Do You Use Food To Manage Stress?

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Some people turn to food when they have a rough day, but did you know you can use food to manage stress?

If you are an emotional eater, food is used to escape from the negative emotions caused by stress in our lives. I’m not talking about using food to comfort yourself when your life feels hard.

Good quality foods can also help to decrease or prevent stress from getting out of control.

Related Post: Why Am I Always Hungry?

Limit Sugar When Possible

It’s important to understand that there are certain foods that make us feel good in the moment, but are not good for us on a regular basis and definitely not long term. Sugar is at the top of my list of foods to limit if at all possible.

I’ll admit, sugar is tough to avoid and it is fabulous for giving you a jolt of happiness. However, after about two or three hours, when the high has worn off, the after effects are not so nice.

Feeling tired and hungry again are common complaints. Sugar is addictive, so if you always reach for a sugary treat when you want a snack or when you are bored, lonely, angry, depressed or sad, you’ll likely want more sugar!

Natural Sugar Is Better

The answer of course is to refrain from comforting yourself with food to begin with, but if you have to have something sweet, make it fruit instead of fruit juice. Fruit has natural sugar that will satisfy the urge for sweetness, and another ingredient most of us don’t get enough of which is fiber.

Fiber fills you up and regulates your blood glucose so those hunger cues are not so sporadic. You are less likely to reach for the first sugary thing that you see if your appetite is under control.

Healthy Fats Are Filling

Avocado is one of those foods it took me a while to get used to. I’m super glad I gave avocados a chance. Now, I love them! I even found that they are great for my digestion. You just can’t beat avocados as an awesome source of healthy essential fatty acids. Essential fatty acids will also keep you full and satisfied, and as keep stress and anxiety at manageable levels.

I don’t want to turn this post into a science lesion, but I cannot talk about foods that help reduce stress without mentioning leafy greens.

Greens Are Loaded With

Nutrients

Vegetables like spinach, kale, collards, swiss chard, and broccoli rabe contain folate. Folate help our brain with the production of the neurotransmitters, serotonin and dopamine which are responsible for our mood.  Foods that contain B vitamins also work to help balance our mood and energy levels.

If nothing but chocolate will do, try a serving of dark chocolate instead. I admit that dark chocolate is an acquired taste for some people, but you may want to give it a try. The higher the percentage of chocolate the better, 70% or higher is good. Just be mindful of your portion size.

Dark Chocolate Reduces

Cortisol

Here’s a fun fact: Not only does dark chocolate have antioxidants, it helps reduce cortisol which is known as the stress hormone.  Stress often puts us in a state of fight or flight. The fight or flight response causes our cortisol levels to rise. Cortisol can play a significant role in weight gain when levels run high for extended periods of time. So, it’s super important for us to management our stress when you want to keep your weight in check.

We’ve all heard about the calorie free ways to relieve stress. Taking a walk, deep breathing, or phoning a friend are go-to activities. However, there’s something to be said for how effective just slowing down long enough to have a cup of tea can be. Chamomile or lavender teas are known to have a relaxing effect on your mood.

De-stress With Tea

Sometimes you just need a moment to step back and think calmly. Slowly sipping a hot cup of tea is way better than impulsively reaching for something to eat that you likely won’t even remember.

Regularly adding nutrient rich, healthy foods to your diet that can help reduce the anxiety and stress response is the way to go. It also doesn’t hurt that they are waist line friendly.😉

Do you currently use food to manage the stress in your life? Let me hear from you in the comments!

Sources:

https://www.webmd.com/diet/ss/slideshow-diet-for-stress-management

https://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition-pictures/how-to-reduce-stress-with-diet.aspx#enjoy-avocados

https://www.healthywomen.org/content/article/7-foods-help-you-de-stress

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