Healthy eating to reduce stress? It is possible and important to have a more stable life. When we’re late for work, moving, or having a hard time paying the bills… everyone feels it. That chemical reaction that causes us to have unusual palpitations and tense muscles. If we ignore these signals of stress, lasting consequences can occur such as increased blood pressure, risk of diabetes and permanent depression. Our diet can help us a little to reduce stress.
Eating healthy to reduce stress
- Eat a piece of dark (black) chocolate every day
- Reduce stress by eating salmon every week
- One banana a day gives you a beautiful smile
- Eat chard for extra magnesium
- Black tea is calming, despite the caffeine boost
- Red pepper provides a nice color and less stress
- The B from beans and vitamin B, and we feel better
Eat a piece of dark (black) chocolate every day
Feel free to eat a little dark chocolate to reduce stress. Dark chocolate has been proven to be rich in resveratrol, an antioxidant that can also be found in grape skin. Resveratrol stimulates the production of serotonin in the brain. It is this chemical that will determine how we feel and therefore whether we are happy and calm. In addition, the nutrients in dark chocolate ensure better blood flow and help lower blood pressure.
Although there are many benefits to black chocolate, too much is never good. About 30 grams of dark chocolate per day should be enough to benefit from the benefits of this product. It is also advisable to ignore the far too sweet variants and opt for pure black chocolate with as much cocoa as possible.
Reduce stress by eating salmon every week
The omega-3 fatty acids in salmon are not only good for the heart, studies also show that they help us deal with stress better. These essential fatty acids protect our neurons from damage caused by stress, which is especially helpful for people dealing with chronic stress. For good health with less stress, researchers recommend eating salmon or other fatty fish such as tuna and sardines at least twice a week.
One banana a day gives you a beautiful smile
That beautiful smile is not due to whiter teeth, it is the vitamins in bananas that reduce our stress and make us smile more. A deficiency of vitamin B6 reduces the production of serotonin. As mentioned with chocolate, this substance determines whether we are happy or not. By exception we can say here; the more serotonin, the better. In addition, bananas are also rich in potassium, a nutrient that maintains our blood pressure.
Eat chard for extra magnesium
Chard helps us maintain cortisol levels. Cortisol is the most important hormone responsible for the production of stress. The hormone prepares our body for fight-or-flight responses by flooding it with glucose. Chronic stress reduces the magnesium in our body, and a magnesium deficiency also makes us more sensitive to stress, which puts us in a vicious circle. Intake of extra magnesium can maintain cortisol levels, which means we suffer less from stress. Chard is rich in magnesium with 150 milligrams per cup, making it the most suitable vegetable to combat stress.
Black tea is calming, despite the caffeine boost
Green and black tea contain the L-theanine amino acid. This amino acid increases the production of dopamine and serotonin. Just like serotonin, dopamine is a feel-good chemical in the brain that promotes our happiness. Although a cup of green tea sometimes contains more caffeine than a cup of coffee, L-theanine can counteract the caffeine boost and make us feel happier by producing extra dopamine and serotonin.
Red pepper provides a nice color and less stress
Crispy and sweet, red peppers not only add color to our casserole or salad; they also boost the immune system and fight stress. Half a cup of red pepper contains 158 milligrams of vitamin C, which is almost as much as 180 milliliters of freshly squeezed orange juice. Red pepper therefore contains more vitamin C than the daily recommended amount; about 90 milligrams for men and 75 for women. According to studies, increased vitamin C intake would help lower cortisol levels. As a result, we not only have less cholesterol, but also less stress.
The B from beans and vitamin B, and we feel better
Vitamin B is known to help us absorb all the energy from the food we eat. But the vitamin also plays a big role in managing stress. Niacin promotes our sleep pattern, pantothenic acid (or vitamin B5) and thiamine regulate cortisol levels and folic acid is necessary for the recovery of our neurons. Beans are not only rich in vitamin B, they also contain a lot of fiber, protein and iron. Half a cup of beans, of any type, can help us get the necessary B vitamins we need to combat stress. Beans can easily be used in soup, salads or side dishes.
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