Looking for food that helps with anxiety? Studies have shown that some foods make us feel calmer while other foods can act as stimulants — at least temporarily. If you experience stress that results in anxiety or panic attacks, making some modifications to your diet may give anxiety help and relief.
Stress describes the many demands and pressures that all of us experience each day. Stress may be physical, mental, emotional, or chemical in nature. Just about anything you encounter can cause stress.
Anxiety is a sign or symptom of stress. Quite often it is the persistent interruptions, hassles, and struggles you face each day that cause anxiety, not life’s catastrophes or disasters. For instance, listening to a phone ringing constantly, hearing a new baby’s cries, or worrying about paying bills can cause stress that leads to anxiety.
When you are anxious for days or weeks, it is called chronic anxiety. The problem with chronic anxiety is that it can lead to health problems over the long term. While there are no quick fixes, you can combat the destructive effects by eating to boost or reduce certain chemicals in your body.
According to the Mayo Clinic, your diet cannot cure anxiety. But there are foods that help with anxiety and have a calming effect in the body, while other foods cause anxiety after eating.
Here are some suggestions:
Choose foods such as complex carbs that boost the calming brain chemical serotonin. Select whole-grain breads and whole grain cereals instead of sugary snacks or beverages.
Eat protein at breakfast, so you have energy and your blood glucose levels stay steady.
Limit or avoid alcohol and caffeine, which cause anxiety after eating. Both affect your sleep and can cause edginess.
Stay hydrated. Dehydration can cause mood changes.
To boost your mood, consider adding the following to your diet:
Chocolate
Folate and other B vitamins
Low-glycemic foods
Magnesium
Omega-3 fatty acids
Tryptophan
In addition, consider adding foods high in zinc to your diet. Findings show that oysters, cashews, liver, beef, and egg yolks have been linked to lowered anxiety.
Also, a study published in August 2015 the journal Psychiatry Research found a link between probiotic foods and a lowering of social anxiety. Probiotic foods include pickles, sauerkraut, and kefir. A new study published in 2017 in the journal Annals of General Psychiatry linked probiotics with improving symptoms of major depressive disorder, possibly by either decreasing inflammation in the body or by increasing the availability of serotonin, the calming brain chemical. Anxiety may be linked to depression.
Check out the following five foods you may want to add to your diet to boost your mood, and four foods you may want to avoid because they can increase stress and even possibly cause a depressed mood.
Food to Eat: Turkey and Tryptophan-Rich Foods
Some researchers believe that tryptophan can have a positive effect on stress because this amino acid helps your brain produce feel-good chemicals. “Tryptophan is a precursor to serotonin, and serotonin, a neurotransmitter, helps you feel calm,” says San Francisco nutritionist Manuel Villacorta, RD, a spokesman for the American Dietetic Association (now known as the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics).
You will find tryptophan in a variety of foods: turkey, chicken, bananas, milk, oats, cheese, soy, nuts, peanut butter, and sesame seeds. Note that there is some question about whether tryptophan found in food crosses the blood-brain barrier, so the effect may not be a dramatic one.
Beef and Foods Rich in Vitamin B Ease Anxiety
Studies have shown a relationship between the B vitamins, including thiamine or vitamin B1, and mood. A deficiency in B vitamins, such as folic acid and B12, can trigger depression in some people. You can take a vitamin B supplement or eat foods that are rich in B vitamins to ward off anxiety. These foods that help with anxiety include beef, pork, chicken, leafy greens, legumes, oranges and other citrus fruits, rice, nuts, and eggs.
Complex Carbs Are Foods That Lift Mood
Carbohydrates also increase production of serotonin in the brain. When choosing mood-lifting carbs, go for whole grains, such as whole-wheat bread or brown rice, rather than processed choices, such as sugar, candy, or even white bread and white rice, Villacorta says. Whole grains take longer for the body to break down, and release sugar into the bloodstream slowly. Processed carbs may give you an initial surge of energy, but that can be followed by an insulin rush, which rapidly drops blood sugar levels, ultimately leaving you feeling lethargic.
Include Omega-3-Rich Foods to Help With Anxiety
Evidence continues to mount that consuming omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA), found in fatty fish such as salmon fillet, tuna, lake trout, herring, mackerel, anchovies, and sardines, can be uplifting and enhance your mood. Some studies have shown that patients who took omega-3 fatty acids along with their prescription antidepressants improved more than those who took antidepressants alone. Possible side benefits: Omega-3s may reduce the risk of heart disease.
Eat Greek Yogurt and High-Protein Foods To Boost Alertness
Protein helps stimulate the production of the brain chemicals norepinephrine and dopamine, which, like serotonin, are neurotransmitters and carry impulses between nerve cells. Higher levels of norepinephrine and dopamine have been shown to improve alertness, mental energy, and reaction time, Villacorta says. Good sources of protein include Greek yogurt, fish, meats, cheese, eggs, nuts, beans, soy, and lentils. “The ideal for mood boosting,” Villacorta says, “is to combine complex carbohydrates and protein, and to spread your meals throughout the day.”
Coffee and Caffeinated Drinks Can Lead to Stress and Anxiety
Some people drink coffee and other beverages that contain caffeine (tea, cola, and hot chocolate) to help boost their energy levels. The problem is caffeine, sugar, and other foods are often eaten when you crave a burst of energy. While bingeing on sugar may give you a temporary boost of serotonin, coffee inhibits levels of serotonin in the brain. When serotonin levels are suppressed, you can become depressed and feel irritable. Caffeine is also a diuretic — it makes you go to the bathroom more often. Even mild dehydration can cause depression. Caffeine also can keep you awake, leading to stress and anxiety. Remember that you need to sleep well to be in a positive mood.
Candy and Sweets May Cause Anxiety After Eating
Of course, almost everyone likes sweets. And sweets, including those containing table sugar, honey, and corn syrup, can make us feel better — but again, it’s a temporary lift. Here’s why: Sugar is absorbed quickly into the bloodstream. The absorption causes an initial high or surge of energy. But that surge wears off as the body increases its insulin production to remove the sugar from your bloodstream. The result: You’re left feeling tired and low.
Alcohol Can Cause Low Mood
Some people drink alcohol because it seems to ease stress and anxiety. Unfortunately, the good mood is only temporary. In the long run, alcohol is a depressant. Like caffeine, alcohol is a diuretic, and it’s important to stay hydrated for many reasons, including mood. If you do drink, drink in moderation. “If you have a 6-ounce glass of wine at dinner, it’s probably fine,” Villacorta says. “But you don’t want to be a heavy drinker, finishing off a few bottles with your meal.”
Skip Hot Dogs and Processed Foods to Avoid Anxiety
Could processed foods, such as hot dogs, sausage, pie, and cakes, cause anxiety after eating? Researchers in London found that eating a diet of processed and fatty foods increases the risk for depression. In the study, people who mainly ate fried food, processed meat, high-fat dairy products, and sweetened desserts had a 58 percent higher risk of depression than those who ate “whole” foods, such as fish and vegetables. It’s best for your mood, said Villacorta, to skip the overprocessed foods.