Find your zen by including these 6 foods that reduce stress in your everyday life. Sign up with Thistle to get them delivered directly to your door.
When April comes around every year, it’s time to remind yourself to relax and learn to manage your stress. Stress Awareness Month reminds us that everyone has stressors, and everyone approaches stress management differently.
Those pesky cortisol hormones reach all of us eventually, but thankfully, there are a few stress-busting wellness tips and tricks that can help us keep our cortisol levels in check.
Did you know what you eat in a day can affect your stress levels? Yummy vitamins and nutrients like vitamin D, vitamin E, B vitamins, and tryptophan have stress-relieving powers to help you find your zen.
We’ve put together a list of six foods that help reduce stress—but first, let’s talk about what stress is, so we know what we’re facing.
What Is Stress?
Stress is our bodily response to external pressures and anxieties. Each of us has unique stressors—school, work, and family spats being common culprits—and sometimes, stress seems to come from nowhere.
When we come across a stressful situation, our body produces stress hormones that tell us to either fight or flight to respond quickly to the stressor. They say everything happens for a reason, and stress is no different. Some stress isn’t considered bad because it helps us make difficult decisions quickly.
Still, when we become overly stressed and little things send us into a spiral, it can negatively affect our mental and physical health.
What Is Stress Awareness Month?
April is Stress Awareness Month, which means it’s the perfect time to master stress relief once and for all. During this month, we’re encouraged to take the time to figure out what’s stressing us out and how to minimize our stressors to the best of our ability. It’s a great time to experiment with changes in our lives that might help us nip stress in the bud.
Getting more sleep each day, practicing meditation, joining therapy sessions, or exercising more can help alleviate stress, but stress relief doesn’t stop there.
A lot of us don’t realize how important nutrition is for managing stress. Certain foods can help reduce stress, especially when you’re eating them regularly. If you really want to hit stress where it hurts, learning more about the relationship between nutrition and your mental health is an awesome place to start.
How Can Food Impact Stress?
Stress causes your body’s metabolic needs to increase as your body uses up more nutrients in shorter periods. When you feel stressed, your body has to work in overdrive to perform basic functions, like breathing. If you aren’t eating enough foods with high nutritional value, you won't be able to replenish the nutrients your body has spent.
Plus, quirky little villains like free radicals put your body through something called oxidative stress. Basically, when free radicals steal electrons from their rightful homes, it can cause a whole slew of illnesses, premature aging, and more. Eating foods high in antioxidants like leafy greens, green tea, and fruits gives your body electrons to spare, so those free radicals can get what they need without affecting your health.
People under a lot of stress often feel they don’t have enough time to make proper meals with tasty whole foods, so they opt for easier meals that might be a little less nutritious.
Hey, if you’re eating, you’re eating — that’s the most important thing. But missing out on essential nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, potassium, and selenium can make the road back to calm, cool, and collected a little longer.
Getting into the habit of meal prep and finding yummy, nutritious recipes you love is a great place to start, but you don’t have to go it alone. Food services like Thistle can deliver healthy and nutritious meals to your door so that you can get the nutrients you need without adding more stressors to your plate (pun intended).
Healthy and Mindful Eating
Sticking to balanced meals can help replace the nutrients you lost when you were stressing out. By meal prepping every few nights before bed, you can help your body get protein and healthy carbs throughout the day. This can help give you boosts of energy and replenish nutrients lost during moments of stress.
Of course, we’ve all heard of “stress eating.” Sometimes when people are experiencing stress, they turn to food to cope. There’s nothing wrong with a little comfort food, but too many saturated fats, sugars, and empty carbs can make us feel even more sluggish and tired instead of giving us the energy we’re actually craving.
By finding other ways to manage stress like exercise or meditation, you can give your body what it really wants: a second to chill. Only eating when you’re hungry also helps you enjoy your food more and benefit your overall well-being at the same time.
Foods That Reduce Stress
Different foods have unique strengths. Looking to fortify your immune system? Salmon’s got your back. Want to fight early wrinkles? Scoop up a serving of sweet potatoes and carrots. Feeling a little blah after a night out? One order of chocolate chip pancakes, coming right up.
In that same vein, there are foods that are thought to reduce your stress levels and give you energy. We’ve compiled together a list so you can easily add them to your next meal prep menu.
1. Spinach
Veggies are the cornerstone of a healthy routine. Spinach is an easy food that you can add to a variety of meals, ranging from breakfast to dinner. You can easily add spinach into an omelet, include in a delicious salad or pasta, or blend into a smoothie.
Spinach—and its cousin, swiss chard—are great sources of magnesium, folate, and calcium. Both work to help soothe the nervous system down in times of stress. Low levels of magnesium have been associated with higher levels of stress. By supplementing more magnesium into your meals, you can increase your magnesium levels.
Serve this leafy green up with fatty fish like sardines, salmon, or mackerel and a side of sweet potatoes for a meal that will help boost your immune system and your brain health.
2. Oats and Whole Grains
Oats can be used in various meals—and rather easily, too. You can use them to make oatmeal with different flavors and toppings, homemade granola, or sweets and treats. A delicious dark chocolate oatmeal raisin cookie, anyone?
When you consume whole grains, your body gets a steady stream of carbohydrates which gives you energy throughout the day. This energy boost can naturally produce serotonin which can help to reduce stress levels.
The great thing about foods with oats is that you can bring them with you to work, to an event, or on a drive. They are easy to eat on-the-go and help supplement energy lost as a result of stress.
3. Tea
Drinking tea can help to reduce stress because the little bits of caffeine give you energy supplements throughout the day. Still, not all forms of caffeine are created equal, and the jolt from your daily coffee might cause you to crash. Thankfully, teas like matcha contain natural caffeine from L-Theanine so that you can sip on tea all day long and get a steady stream of energy from it.
Of course, there are many different kinds of teas with different amounts of caffeine so you can find what works best for you. At night, you can opt for a sleepy time tea like chamomile to reduce stress and create a calming effect. Opting for tea rather than coffee for your second or third cup of the day can improve your energy levels if stress is bringing you down.
4. Pumpkin Seeds
Another big source of magnesium is pumpkin seeds. These delicious and salty seeds are easy to snack on and can give you a boost of energy. You can create a healthy trail mix with a variety of nuts, including walnuts, sunflower seeds, and flaxseeds, but you won’t be doing your body justice without including pumpkin seeds.
Pumpkin seeds also provide you with protein, healthy fats, and fiber, so if you’re snacking them all day long, you will be consistently providing yourself with energy-boosting nutrients. This should help boost your serotonin levels and help to alleviate stress.
5. Berries
Another easy and delicious snack that helps to reduce stress is berries. Depending on what berries you like, you might find different nutrients, but many contain Vitamin C. Research has shown that treating stress with Vitamin C helps to restore the stress response and improve the lives of stressed individuals.
Strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries all contain vitamin C and other nutrients that will boost your energy. Citrus fruits also have tons of vitamin C, so give both a try! You can include berries in yogurt and cereal or eat them by the handful. However you decide, you could see improvements in your stress after eating them.
6. Dark Chocolate
We always save the best food for last. In our opinion, it’s hard to beat dark chocolate.
We all love something sweet, and there’s no comfort food quite like dark chocolate. Dark chocolate also contains high levels of magnesium and flavonoids, which can lower the stress hormones released by your body. You’ll want chocolate high in cocoa and low in sugar to see the best results.
Taking Care of Your Stress With Food
You’ve got enough to stress about—food shouldn’t be on the list. Eating healthy can seem overwhelming at first, but these six foods are easy to prepare and even easier to munch on. Plus, there are so many more yummy and healthy foods to explore like kimchi, avocados, and legumes.
If you are stressed out about meal planning and eating three meals a day, consider signing up with Thistle this Stress Awareness Month.
It’s never too late to start working to improve your stress, and we want to help. You can feel relaxed knowing fresh and healthy food is being delivered to your door for you to make at home.
Thistle makes eating less stressful, which will hopefully reduce your stress overall 🎉 Reach out to the Thistle Team today if you’re ready to beat stress in the most delicious way possible.
Sources:
Stress | Mental Health Foundation
Stress and Health | The Nutrition Source
Magnesium and stress - Magnesium in the Central Nervous System | NCBI
Vitamin C: An Essential “Stress Hormone” During Sepsis | NCBI
Find your zen by including these 6 foods that reduce stress in your everyday life. Sign up with Thistle to get them delivered directly to your door.
When April comes around every year, it’s time to remind yourself to relax and learn to manage your stress. Stress Awareness Month reminds us that everyone has stressors, and everyone approaches stress management differently.
Those pesky cortisol hormones reach all of us eventually, but thankfully, there are a few stress-busting wellness tips and tricks that can help us keep our cortisol levels in check.
Did you know what you eat in a day can affect your stress levels? Yummy vitamins and nutrients like vitamin D, vitamin E, B vitamins, and tryptophan have stress-relieving powers to help you find your zen.
We’ve put together a list of six foods that help reduce stress—but first, let’s talk about what stress is, so we know what we’re facing.
What Is Stress?
Stress is our bodily response to external pressures and anxieties. Each of us has unique stressors—school, work, and family spats being common culprits—and sometimes, stress seems to come from nowhere.
When we come across a stressful situation, our body produces stress hormones that tell us to either fight or flight to respond quickly to the stressor. They say everything happens for a reason, and stress is no different. Some stress isn’t considered bad because it helps us make difficult decisions quickly.
Still, when we become overly stressed and little things send us into a spiral, it can negatively affect our mental and physical health.
What Is Stress Awareness Month?
April is Stress Awareness Month, which means it’s the perfect time to master stress relief once and for all. During this month, we’re encouraged to take the time to figure out what’s stressing us out and how to minimize our stressors to the best of our ability. It’s a great time to experiment with changes in our lives that might help us nip stress in the bud.
Getting more sleep each day, practicing meditation, joining therapy sessions, or exercising more can help alleviate stress, but stress relief doesn’t stop there.
A lot of us don’t realize how important nutrition is for managing stress. Certain foods can help reduce stress, especially when you’re eating them regularly. If you really want to hit stress where it hurts, learning more about the relationship between nutrition and your mental health is an awesome place to start.
How Can Food Impact Stress?
Stress causes your body’s metabolic needs to increase as your body uses up more nutrients in shorter periods. When you feel stressed, your body has to work in overdrive to perform basic functions, like breathing. If you aren’t eating enough foods with high nutritional value, you won't be able to replenish the nutrients your body has spent.
Plus, quirky little villains like free radicals put your body through something called oxidative stress. Basically, when free radicals steal electrons from their rightful homes, it can cause a whole slew of illnesses, premature aging, and more. Eating foods high in antioxidants like leafy greens, green tea, and fruits gives your body electrons to spare, so those free radicals can get what they need without affecting your health.
People under a lot of stress often feel they don’t have enough time to make proper meals with tasty whole foods, so they opt for easier meals that might be a little less nutritious.
Hey, if you’re eating, you’re eating — that’s the most important thing. But missing out on essential nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, potassium, and selenium can make the road back to calm, cool, and collected a little longer.
Getting into the habit of meal prep and finding yummy, nutritious recipes you love is a great place to start, but you don’t have to go it alone. Food services like Thistle can deliver healthy and nutritious meals to your door so that you can get the nutrients you need without adding more stressors to your plate (pun intended).
Healthy and Mindful Eating
Sticking to balanced meals can help replace the nutrients you lost when you were stressing out. By meal prepping every few nights before bed, you can help your body get protein and healthy carbs throughout the day. This can help give you boosts of energy and replenish nutrients lost during moments of stress.
Of course, we’ve all heard of “stress eating.” Sometimes when people are experiencing stress, they turn to food to cope. There’s nothing wrong with a little comfort food, but too many saturated fats, sugars, and empty carbs can make us feel even more sluggish and tired instead of giving us the energy we’re actually craving.
By finding other ways to manage stress like exercise or meditation, you can give your body what it really wants: a second to chill. Only eating when you’re hungry also helps you enjoy your food more and benefit your overall well-being at the same time.
Foods That Reduce Stress
Different foods have unique strengths. Looking to fortify your immune system? Salmon’s got your back. Want to fight early wrinkles? Scoop up a serving of sweet potatoes and carrots. Feeling a little blah after a night out? One order of chocolate chip pancakes, coming right up.
In that same vein, there are foods that are thought to reduce your stress levels and give you energy. We’ve compiled together a list so you can easily add them to your next meal prep menu.
1. Spinach
Veggies are the cornerstone of a healthy routine. Spinach is an easy food that you can add to a variety of meals, ranging from breakfast to dinner. You can easily add spinach into an omelet, include in a delicious salad or pasta, or blend into a smoothie.
Spinach—and its cousin, swiss chard—are great sources of magnesium, folate, and calcium. Both work to help soothe the nervous system down in times of stress. Low levels of magnesium have been associated with higher levels of stress. By supplementing more magnesium into your meals, you can increase your magnesium levels.
Serve this leafy green up with fatty fish like sardines, salmon, or mackerel and a side of sweet potatoes for a meal that will help boost your immune system and your brain health.
2. Oats and Whole Grains
Oats can be used in various meals—and rather easily, too. You can use them to make oatmeal with different flavors and toppings, homemade granola, or sweets and treats. A delicious dark chocolate oatmeal raisin cookie, anyone?
When you consume whole grains, your body gets a steady stream of carbohydrates which gives you energy throughout the day. This energy boost can naturally produce serotonin which can help to reduce stress levels.
The great thing about foods with oats is that you can bring them with you to work, to an event, or on a drive. They are easy to eat on-the-go and help supplement energy lost as a result of stress.
3. Tea
Drinking tea can help to reduce stress because the little bits of caffeine give you energy supplements throughout the day. Still, not all forms of caffeine are created equal, and the jolt from your daily coffee might cause you to crash. Thankfully, teas like matcha contain natural caffeine from L-Theanine so that you can sip on tea all day long and get a steady stream of energy from it.
Of course, there are many different kinds of teas with different amounts of caffeine so you can find what works best for you. At night, you can opt for a sleepy time tea like chamomile to reduce stress and create a calming effect. Opting for tea rather than coffee for your second or third cup of the day can improve your energy levels if stress is bringing you down.
4. Pumpkin Seeds
Another big source of magnesium is pumpkin seeds. These delicious and salty seeds are easy to snack on and can give you a boost of energy. You can create a healthy trail mix with a variety of nuts, including walnuts, sunflower seeds, and flaxseeds, but you won’t be doing your body justice without including pumpkin seeds.
Pumpkin seeds also provide you with protein, healthy fats, and fiber, so if you’re snacking them all day long, you will be consistently providing yourself with energy-boosting nutrients. This should help boost your serotonin levels and help to alleviate stress.
5. Berries
Another easy and delicious snack that helps to reduce stress is berries. Depending on what berries you like, you might find different nutrients, but many contain Vitamin C. Research has shown that treating stress with Vitamin C helps to restore the stress response and improve the lives of stressed individuals.
Strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries all contain vitamin C and other nutrients that will boost your energy. Citrus fruits also have tons of vitamin C, so give both a try! You can include berries in yogurt and cereal or eat them by the handful. However you decide, you could see improvements in your stress after eating them.
6. Dark Chocolate
We always save the best food for last. In our opinion, it’s hard to beat dark chocolate.
We all love something sweet, and there’s no comfort food quite like dark chocolate. Dark chocolate also contains high levels of magnesium and flavonoids, which can lower the stress hormones released by your body. You’ll want chocolate high in cocoa and low in sugar to see the best results.
Taking Care of Your Stress With Food
You’ve got enough to stress about—food shouldn’t be on the list. Eating healthy can seem overwhelming at first, but these six foods are easy to prepare and even easier to munch on. Plus, there are so many more yummy and healthy foods to explore like kimchi, avocados, and legumes.
If you are stressed out about meal planning and eating three meals a day, consider signing up with Thistle this Stress Awareness Month.
It’s never too late to start working to improve your stress, and we want to help. You can feel relaxed knowing fresh and healthy food is being delivered to your door for you to make at home.
Thistle makes eating less stressful, which will hopefully reduce your stress overall 🎉 Reach out to the Thistle Team today if you’re ready to beat stress in the most delicious way possible.
Sources:
Stress | Mental Health Foundation
Stress and Health | The Nutrition Source
Magnesium and stress - Magnesium in the Central Nervous System | NCBI
Vitamin C: An Essential “Stress Hormone” During Sepsis | NCBI
