Beat Stress with these Delicious Stress Busters

Beating stress with food? That probably sounds like you’re just trying to find an excuse to grab a bag of crisps, a slice of cake or a tub of ice cream. But no, we’re not really just talking about comfort food here, or the temporary sugar rush that comes with eating sweets.

Rather, I’m talking about the healthy food choices that will help control your stress levels and keep you calm even when you’re under pressure. After all, food is something that you are going to have every day… aside from the daily stress.

Chamomile Tea 

Chamomile tea is loved by many for its calming effect, and chamomile is known being one of the most effective natural options to reduce stress. In fact, it is a favourite remedy of people suffering from insomnia. Research has also found that chamomile intake can reduce symptoms of anxiety and can have a positive impact against depression.

If you are feeling stressed and tired, try making a hot cup of tea. It won’t just ease your mind, its soothing effect will also run through your muscles and nerves, making you feel more relaxed physically.

Oatmeal

Oatmeal can prevent cardiovascular disease, lower cholesterol levels, and reduce blood sugar levels... but you’ve probably heard about all these. What’s not often discussed is the ability of oatmeal to support the production of serotonin – a neurotransmitter that helps with regulating mood balance.

So it does make sense to have a bowl of oatmeal before going to work, as it will help adjust your mood and prepare your mind for the day ahead. Oatmeal can have this relaxing effect too, which, to others, is helpful for sleeping. To balance out the effects, adding slices of apple to your oatmeal mix would be perfect.

Berries

Heard about antioxidants? The substances that help prevent or delay cell damage in our bodies? Well, berries are rich in a certain type of antioxidant, which we call vitamin C. Now that term is a lot more familiar.

In a study, Vitamin C has been found to suppress the levels of cortisol, the hormones that are released in response to stress. Of course, this is just another item on the long list of health benefits that vitamin C provides. What’s even more wonderful is that you can enjoy your vitamin C from almost any type of berry – raspberry, blueberry or strawberry. That’s a load of choices that you’ll surely love.

Avocados

Avocados are a rich source of folate – and do you know what folate does for your health? Yes, it helps you prevent stress and anxiety. People with depression have also been diagnosed with low levels of folate, and so consuming food that provides folate is one way to avoid the risk of falling depressed.
You should know, however, that avocados are high in fat, although most of the fat content are healthy types that can be beneficial. Still, it’s better to limit your intake to avoid a bulk in your total fat intake.

Dark Chocolate

You probably didn’t expect to see this, since I had mentioned that sweets are off the list. With dark chockies though, there’s an exception, as I don’t completely classify them as sugary food. So what is it in dark chocolate? Phenylethylamine – the chemical which promotes the release of the ‘feel good’ hormone (called endorphin).

But don’t buy just any type of dark chocolate. The ones offering the most health benefits are those that are made from at least 65% cacao.