When you’re stressed, do you walk into the kitchen and grab an apple? Not usually. Under stress, people mostly eat unhealthy foods such as chips, donuts, and bagels. High-fat, high-sugar, and high-carb foods are awfully comforting during times of intense stress. Though they may make you feel temporarily better, those foods (which have little nutritional value) actually send our hormones and blood sugar spiraling out of control. In case you haven’t noticed, the aftermath of the carbo-fat-sugar binge is, in actuality, a huge crash. That’s because the chemical formulations in those foods make us feel lazy, crazy, depressed, and worse than before the snack was ingested. So, instead of reaching for that bag of Doritos next time you’re cramming for your big test, do yourself a favor by choosing foods that are good for your mind and your body and won’t leave you feeling disgusting afterward. Here are some healthy food options that contain all of the nutrients you need to kick that mental and physical stress in the butt!
Walnuts
Need a little crunch? Walnuts include alpha-linolenic acid, which is an essential Omega-3 fatty acid that can prevent spikes in stress hormones and help block out mood swings. Also, that little crunch also helps release the feeling of aggression.
Oranges
Not only do oranges have an extremely high level of vitamin C, which helps prevent colds, but vitamin C can also help your body ease stress! So next time you feel overwhelmed by all of your classes, peel open an orange.
Milk
When is the last time you had a glass of milk? Milk has a large amount of antioxidants, vitamin B12, protein, and calcium, which can strip off hormones that cause stress. Also, the protein in milk has a calming effect because milk can lower blood pressure. But remember; don’t have a cookie with your milk!
Dark Chocolate
Everyone loves chocolate. We consume more chocolate when we are under pressure, or when we are stressed, because we think chocolate makes us feel better. And normally, the consumption of chocolate does make us feel better. When you get the urge for chocolate, try to stick with dark chocolate, because dark chocolate is loaded with healthy, needed antioxidants. Also, dark chocolate has the ability to lower our blood pressure, which can make us feel calmer. Plus, dark chocolate will give you that little energy burst needed during those long study hours in the library.
Berries
Berries are a great source of vitamin C, which can keep our hormone levels in place. Blueberries, raspberries, or strawberries—these small fruits are large on antioxidants, which have stress-relieving qualities.