What are foods that cause stress? Here’s a list.
FOODS THAT CAUSE STRESS – If you are feeling stressed and would like to binge on foods, these are the ones you must avoid.
Can certain foods increase stress and anxiety? The answer is yes. There are foods that can do this and some of them are surprisingly many people’s favorite food to destress. Most of the time, when we are stressed, we tend to always reach for something sweet or salty.
The thing about food is that it gives us the feeling of comfort and escape. They take us away from the things that make us feels stressed and anxious about.
How does food affect stress and anxiety?
Karen Hemmes, a registered dietitian at Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix, said that foods such as processed meats, high sugar foods, caffeine and alcohol brings little nutritional value to the body. Not only this. These foods also increase the cortisol levels of the bod. Cortisol is the stress hormone.
Some studies proved the adverse effects of increased stress and cortisol levels. It can increase the risk of obesity, metabolic syndromes, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, depression, and other brain disorders.
Foods to avoid if you are stressed
- Sugary treats such as cakes and pastries. This can affect your blood sugar level and the spikes and crashes will also make some changes in your mood.
- Artificial sweeteners or also known as the substitute for sugar. The non-nutritive sweeteners or NNS can increase inflammation and stress in our body.
- Consuming excessive amounts of coffee overstimulates the body which may cause unpleasant effects on your adrenal glands.
- Refined carbs can increase stress and cause unstable mood levels.
- Fried foods has a high amount of trans fat and trans fat is the major culprit for inflammation in the body and if this happens, stress levels increase.
Instead of grabbing these unhealthy items, opt for something healthy. There are foods with “zero” calories and if you want something colorful, grabbed some purple foods for that added nutrition for your body.
What can you say about this? Let us know in the comments!