7 Foods To Eat When You're Stressed

When we're stressed, our eating habits can go buck wild. Our minds and our stomachs play a messy game of telephone and we pay for it. We either over-eat, under-eat, or eat all the wrong foods. It's hard to pick the right plates for yourself when you're particularly stressed out, because not only are you likely short on time, but your body craves sugar and fat when it's being doused in cortisol. That's because it thinks it needs it. But it doesn't. And really, neither of those food groups will help you feel less stressed — in fact, they might even make you feel more stressed than you were before.

However, it turns out there are many foods that can actually help to calm you down. No, they're not infused with anti-anxiety medication, soaked in booze, or blessed by a monk — they just have naturally occurring qualities that can help the body to mellow out upon ingestion. Nature's got our backs, we just have to take the time to look these things up. Lucky for you, I've done that part. Here are seven foods that will help you to calm down and stay calm throughout the day, no matter how stressful your life feels right now.

Chamomile Tea

Chamomile has a lot of healing and soothing properties. It's anti-inflammatory, aids digestion, calms the nervous system, and the act of sipping chamomile tea is a major stress reducer.

Berries

Berries are filled with vitamin C, which is exactly what our body needs to fight against stress. A regular serving of berries can keep stress at bay.

Warm Milk

Milk is a great source of the protein lactium, which lowers your blood pressure and has many calming effects. Warm milk is easier to digest and the temperature is relaxing.

Almonds

Almonds are packed with zinc which is a mood balancer and iron which can help to decrease anxiety-causing fatigue.

Fish

The protein and fatty acids found in fish are super calming. By eating fish at least once a week, your supporting the regrowth of brain cells, too.

Turkey

You probably already knew about turkey. It's got quite a reputation for making people sleepy. That's because it has a high concentration of tryptophan, which sends a little message to the brain asking it for serotonin, which it then releases. Eating too much of it will make you very sleepy, but having a little for lunch in a sandwich or a wrap is just enough to calm you down.

Whole Grains

Whole grains contain magnesium. A lack of magnesium in the body can lead to anxiety. Whole grains also contain tryptophan, which can trigger a calming effect.

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