Foods That Help Fight Anxiety

The cases of anxiety are on an all-time high, and between living in a pandemic, and striving to fit into the new normal – who’s to blame? While common causes include worry and nervousness, it is also at times the outcome of poor mental health. Medication is often sought for treatment. Though, simple steps can help you reduce your anxiety like exercising, as well as deep breathing. A change in your diet can also lead to positive results in your anxiety. 

Which Foods Reduce Anxiety?  

We have put a list of wonder ingredients from your kitchen counters that can help you reduce anxiety. 

• Turmeric

When talking about foods that reduce anxiety, Turmeric deserves a mention. Turmeric is a spice that contains curcumin, a compound that helps in promoting brain health, and prevents anxiety disorders. Many studies have suggested that curcumin boosts Omega-3 fatty acids in your brain. Curcumin produces significant anti-anxiety effects.It provides a boost of powerful antioxidants and helps prevent any damage caused to your brain cells. 

• Dark Chocolate

Incorporating a good bar of dark chocolate can help you fight anxiety easily. Dark chocolates are known to contain flavonoids, which are antioxidants that can affect brain function. This helps in promoting blood flow to the brain as well as its ability to adapt to stressful situations. This can help you combat stress easily. The taste of dark chocolates is comforting in itself too. But, it is advisable to consume dark chocolate in moderate amounts as it is high in calories. 

• Yogurt

If you suffer from anxiety, yogurt is your best bet at being calm. The probiotics or healthy bacteria found in your cup of yogurt can improve several aspects of your well-being, including your mental health. 

Studies have shown that probiotic foods like yogurt may promote mental health and brain function by inhibiting free radicals and neurotoxins, which can damage nerve tissue in the brain and lead to anxiety. You should focus on consuming yogurt at least twice in one week. You should always check to see if your yogurt has probiotics. 

Other Foods that Can Help with Anxiety

We have put together a list of ingredients that may not be known for anxiety but can help benefit your health. 

• Bananas and Oats

Bananas and oats, whether had separately or together, can be beneficial. High in amino acids that is converted to serotonin in the body promotes relaxation and relief from anxiety. 

• Chia Seeds

Chia seeds are an excellent source of brain-boosting omega 3 fatty acids that have shown to positively affect anxiety. 

• Citrus Fruits

Fruits rich in Vitamin C have amazing antioxidant properties that may help reduce inflammation and prevents damage to your cells. And thus, reduce anxiety. 

• Almonds

Almonds are known to contain significant amounts of Vitamin E, which have long been backed by science to help prevent anxiety. 

• Ashwagandha 

No blog, listicle, or article can be complete without talking about Ashwagandha – when talking about anxiety. With high amounts of serotonin, Ashwagandha can help reduce stress by blocking the stress pathways to your brain. Its calming properties are also known to help you relax and get a good night’s sleep. Ashwagandha is also available in the form of ashwagandha tablets or capsules.

What Drinks Help with Anxiety?  

• Green Tea

Green tea contains amino acids that have been long applauded for their positive effects on the health of the human brain. It is also used to reduce psychological responses that are commonly associated with anxiety-like increased heart rate. 

• Chamomile 

Chamomile is a herb that helps reduce anxiety. Similarly, chamomile tea is known to contain high amounts of antioxidants that are proven to reduce inflammation, this can reduce the risk of anxiety. When consumed over prolonged periods of time, chamomile tea can show noticeable results on a person. 

What foods to avoid if you have anxiety?

Yes, there are certain kinds of foods that can trigger anxiety in an individual, read the list to know more. 

• Caffeine

If you are someone who suffers from anxiety, you need a calm and soothing environment, and coffee is known to disrupt that. Not only does coffee make your heart beat faster, but also decreases the production of serotonin thereby leaving you distressed. Though caffeine is okay to be consumed in small doses, large doses can be a problem. 

• Avoid Aged, Fermented and Cultured food 

Whole foods like milk, grapes, and meat are extremely nutritious. But when cultured, they tend to lose their proteins like histamine, which can cause anxiety, and restlessness in many individuals. To minimize this, have fresh whole foods, look at the date of packaging for your meats, and pick only the most recent ones. 

• Dairy 

Well, research shows that people who have anxiety say they’ve noticed an increase in anxiety symptoms within minutes of consuming dairy products. The truth is, dairy is inflammatory. It wreaks havoc on the digestive system, causing, bloating, diarrhea and constipation, among other things.

• Soda

In addition to the fact that sodas contain artificial food coloring and other additives, Soda also contains Aspartame that can also be held responsible for anxiety, headaches, anxiety, mood swings, and other forms of cancer. 

• Gluten

Gluten is a common protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. But gluten can also be a huge trigger for anxiety symptoms. Thus cutting out gluten from your diet can lead to a healthier, more calm life. 

• Artificial and refined sugars 

You can not ignore the harmful effects of sugar on your health, not only does it make you gain weight, but also introduce such changes in your body that you can see the symptoms of anxiety. It also impairs the ability to cope with stress effectively. A sugar crash is very much like a caffeine crash which can cause visible behavioral and mood changes, heart palpitations, and make it difficult for you to consume. All of which has been associated with anxiety attacks. 

In the end, with the help of the right diet, exercise, and schedule – you can help calm your mind, better your body, and revive your soul.