Food for Stress

You may have heard of stress eating- when we eat those unhealthy comfort foods that leave us feeling guilty and even more anxious? Well, good news! There are some specific foods that have been shown to reduce stress.

Dr. Uma Naidoo, an Instructor in Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, recommends foods rich with the following stress-relieving nutrients:

1. Magnesium: leafy greens (spinach and Swiss chard), legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains.

2. Zinc: oysters, cashews, liver, beef, and egg yolks

3. Omega-3: fatty fish like wild salmon

4. Probiotics: pickles, sauerkraut, and kefir

5. Folic acid: asparagus

6. B vitamins: avocado and almonds

Other pro tip: don’t skip meals. Doing so may result in drops in blood sugar and worsen underlying anxiety.

So, when you, or a loved one, is feeling worried, try eating something with one (or more) of these 6 natural anxiety reducers!

Uma Naidoo. “Nutritional strategies to ease anxiety” Harvard

Health Blog, 13 Apr. 2016, http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/nutritional-strategies-to-ease-anxiety-201604139441. Accessed 13 Mar. 2017.