Food And Stress: 7 Healthy Picks That Can Help You Relax

Usually when we talk about stress eating, we're warning you against using food to squash unpleasant feelings.

While many people use food as a way to cope with a range of emotions, too often when faced with stressful scenarios, we're reaching for high-calorie and fat-laden disasters. The foods we usually choose to stress eat lead to higher levels of feel-good brain chemical serotonin and, at least temporarily, make us think we're beating the blues.

But searching for solace at the bottom of a pint of Ben & Jerry's, can, for obvious reasons, lead to weight gain, which is likely to only cause more stress. Before you turn to your typical comfort foods, check out the slideshow below. These seven healthy picks have natural stress-reducing powers of their own. What'd we forget? Let us know in the comments!

• Tea

  Unlike coffee, tea has a reputation as a sip meant for sleepytime. And while there is <em>some</em> caffeine in certain types of tea, both black and green varieties can help you relax. Green tea contains an amino acid called <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/11/natural-insomnia-remedies-treatment_n_2006136.html#slide=1676447">theanine</a>, which has been linked to reducing anxiety and promoting sleep. And a 2006 study found that black tea drinkers were both <a href="http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/news/20061005/drinking-black-tea-may-soothe-stress">quicker to de-stress and less stressed in general</a> than people given a tea substitute, WebMD reported.

• Dark Chocolate

  There's some benefit to <a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091111123612.htm">craving something chocolatey</a> when times get tough. A 2009 study found that regular chocolate eaters had <a href="http://www.livescience.com/7974-chocolate-reduces-stress-study-finds.html">lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol</a> in their blood. And, like tea, dark chocolate <a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200307/flavonoids-antioxidants-help-the-mind">contains antioxidants called flavonoids</a>, known for their relaxing properties. You may also benefit from a <a href="http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/indepth.food/sweets/chocolate.cravings/index.html">boost in feel-good chemicals in the brain</a>, simply because you're allowing yourself a special treat when you nibble some chocolate, according to CNN.

• Fatty Fish

  Salmon, tuna and other fish rich in omega 3s have been shown to ease a stressed mind. A team of researchers from Ohio State University examined a small group of medical students and their physical responses to anxiety and stress during the school year. Among those given omega 3 supplements, <a href="http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/omega3.htm">anxiety dropped by 20 percent</a>, compared to the students given a placebo who remained anxious. And a 2003 <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12909818">study</a> found that getting sufficient fatty acids in your diet <a href="http://www.womenshealthmag.com/nutrition/stress-busting-foods?page=2 acids">kept cortisol from jumping</a> in the face of stressful events.

• Oatmeal

  Carbs naturally boost your mood by kick-starting serotonin production in the brain. Grains with more fiber <a href="http://www.womenshealthmag.com/nutrition/stress-busting-foods?page=2">take longer to digest</a>, though, thereby releasing serotonin at a more slow-and-steady pace, Judith Wurtman, Ph.D., co-author of <em>The Serotonin Power Diet</em>, told Women's Health. That warm bowl of oatmeal for breakfast can help you stay serene all day.

• Leafy Greens

  Magnesium, a mineral crucial to your body running smoothly, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/leo-galland-md/holiday-stress_b_789002.html#s193902&title=Natures_StressBuster_Magnesium">helps muscles relax and also calms the nerves</a>. It's <a href="http://nutritiondata.self.com/foods-011120000000000000000.html?maxCount=503">found naturally in green veggies</a>, particularly leafy ones, like Swiss chard and spinach.

• Citrus Fruits

  A 2002 German study found that a hefty dose of vitamin C helped people <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11862365">bounce back more easily from a stressful situation</a>. Both blood pressure and cortisol levels decreased faster in people given a vitamin C supplement than the study participants given a placebo. So reach for an orange -- or one of these other <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/27/vitamin-c-foods_n_1457397.html">foods high in vitamin C</a>.

• Milk

  While it <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/03/cant-sleep-home-remedies_n_1739190.html">may not exactly put you to sleep</a>, calcium has been linked to fewer mood swings, at least when it comes to PMS. This finding could translate to stressful or anxiety-inducing situations too, according to WebMD. A glass of milk is a good place to start -- but there are also some more <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/25/calcium-food-sources_n_1451010.html">surprising places to get a dose of calcium</a>, like soybeans and kale.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/05/healthy-food-fight-stress_n_2617644.html

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