9 Foods That Can Help Reduce Stress

Everyone experiences stress at home or work. Though occasional stress attacks are difficult to prevent, ongoing stress can hurt your physical and mental well-being. Fortunately, there are various ways to control and even lower your stress levels, including food. But not all foods can achieve the desired results. Therefore, it’s important to keenly observe what you eat since some foods can cause your stress levels to increase. Below are 10 foods that can help you relax and relieve stress.

• Sweet potatoes 

Sweet potatoes are full of complex carbs, which encourage the brain to create serotonin, a chemical that can help regulate mood. Researchers have found that substances in sweet potatoes help reduce cortisol levels, which is important in controlling how the body reacts to stress. Additionally, sweet potatoes are a good source of magnesium, which is frequently regarded as one of the finest minerals for calming the mind and elevating mood. ​

• Nuts

Nuts are a great source of vitamins and minerals like magnesium, B vitamins, and healthy fatty acids. In particular, magnesium is important for controlling how the body reacts to stress. This is helpful since persistent stress causes the body to become deficient in magnesium, which causes stress to become more severe—a vicious cycle. Studies indicate that increasing magnesium consumption may lessen anxiety, soothe stress, and diminish the body’s reaction to fear because magnesium regulates the body’s stress-response system.

• Eggs

Vitamin D, believed to lower the risk of stress and depression, is abundant in egg yolks, particularly from hens raised in pasture. Tryptophan, an amino acid that aids in the production of serotonin, is also present in eggs. Indeed, mood, sleep, cognition, and behavior are all influenced by serotonin, a chemical neurotransmitter in the brain, intestines, and blood platelets. Serotonin can enhance cognitive function and reduce anxiety, so keep this in mind. Additionally, choline is a nutrient in great quantities in only a few foods, including eggs. It has been demonstrated that choline is crucial for brain functioning and may offer protection from stress.

• Avocados 

Avocados have a group of B vitamins in their tender, pale-green flesh, which helps the body make brain chemicals that lower stress and improve mood. Additionally, avocados contain lutein, a mineral crucial for the well-being of the eyes and the brain. Both memory and problem-solving skills are enhanced by lutein. Furthermore, unsaturated fat, sometimes known as “good fat,” is included in avocados and can help lower blood cholesterol levels and maintain regular heartbeats. ​

• Spinach

Spinach contains a high magnesium mineral known to reduce stress and anxiety. It is also a good source of vitamin C, which the body cannot make alone. Vitamin C deficiency has been associated with higher levels of stress. Additionally, spinach is rich in folate, which boosts the production of dopamine, a neurotransmitter in the brain that facilitates communication between brain cells. Therefore, spinach should be a part of your diet since higher levels of stress and depression have been associated with folate deficiency.

• Dark chocolate

The cortisol levels inside the body are decreased by this sweet delicacy, stimulating your palate and easing stress. The cacao plant, derived from dark chocolate, has anti-inflammatory antioxidants that lower the risk of heart disease. Be mindful that some desserts made with dark chocolate may have extra sugars. As a tip, indulge occasionally or choose another healthy chocolate dessert choice, like chocolate zucchini brownies, which have less than half the sugar of other chocolate desserts.

• Black Tea

Black Tea may aid in your quick recovery from stressful situations. In one study, those who drank 4 cups of Tea every day for 6 weeks were compared to those who drank a different beverage. After stressful situations, the tea drinkers felt calmer, and their cortisol levels were lower. Seeing this benefit, you want to start consuming black tea if you haven’t already. 

• Oatmeal 

The complex carbohydrate in oatmeal lowers the concentration of stress hormones in the brain and helps to maintain a stable blood sugar level. The neurotransmitter serotonin, which promotes relaxation, tranquillity, and creativity, is released by oatmeal to help relieve stress.

• Oysters

Oysters are foods that help relieve stress and are rich in magnesium and B vitamins, even though they are perhaps known best as an aphrodisiac. Your mood is stabilized, and stress and depressive symptoms are reduced with B vitamins. With increased stress, magnesium levels tend to decrease, which can cause fatigue and headaches.

Indeed, certain foods can alleviate your stress and offer immense health benefits. Hopefully, you’ll try the ones mentioned in this article to get the best results.