4 Foods that Help in Reducing Stress

Have you ever thought you could get rid of stress naturally? 

If not, you are probably missing a lot. Taking medication or relying on doctors to relieve stress is not the ultimate solution. Usually, these methods take a lot of time to show the results. Plus, taking medicines to reduce stress, calm the nerves, or get proper sleep can adversely affect the body. It is for this reason you should establish a healthy lifestyle. This will allow you to remain consistent and make the most of the stress-free regime. 

One such method is having a balanced diet. Believe it or not, certain food items can reduce stress levels and ensure you can live your life with ease. Since many people aren't aware of these food items, we have prepared a comprehensive list for you. This guide will help you understand what food items to include in your list to get the best out of your stress reduction efforts. 

Why is it essential to reduce stress?

Before knowing more about the food items that can help you reduce stress, you must understand the importance of stress reduction. Many believe stress comes naturally, and there is no concern because if the source is removed, stress can automatically decrease. But that is not the truth. Suppose you do not act on your stress and start working on ways to reduce it. You might suffer from a plethora of consequences. 

In the below section, we have discussed some of the significant consequences you might face if you allow stress levels to increase with time. 

1. First and foremost, if you allow the stress levels to increase with time, it will start interfering with your psychological and physiological health. For instance, a stressed mind can never let you sleep properly at night, regardless of how much you plan to get. Since you won't sleep properly, you will feel irritated the next day and unable to concentrate.
2. Stress levels, when high, can affect your metabolic rate also. For instance, you might feel full even if you haven't eaten anything in the last few hours. Sometimes, you can feel hungry and start eating food that will ultimately lead to a weight increase.
3. If you do not take care of your stress levels, you won't be able to focus and concentrate on any work. It is not just the office work or your studies. When stressed, you will feel lethargic and unable to do even simple household chores. 
4. Stress will also prevent you from enjoying life. You will be anxious all the time and overthink everything. It often culminates in anxiety and panic attacks, which is why reducing stress is extremely important for everyone. Failure to do so can have several other consequences on your health. 
5. When stress levels are high, you can suffer from some weirdest diseases, like fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, depression, insomnia, disorientation, and more. Therefore, to escape such situations, you must overcome the hurdles and reduce stress at the earliest. 

What foods can you eat to reduce stress?

Now that you have learned the importance of reducing stress, it is time to discuss some food items that can help you reduce stress in reality. These food items act in different ways to reduce stress levels and help you live a free life. To make you more aware, we have discussed some of the best food items you can include in your diet to alleviate stress levels with ease. 

1. Matcha powder

One of the best stress-relieving food items you can include in your diet is the vibrant green matcha powder. It is an extract from ground green tea leaves dried under the sun. Please go for the natural and organic matcha powder, as it won't have any contaminants that could adversely affect your body. 

Matcha powder contains L-theanine, an amino acid that increases the release of serotonin and dopamine- the two most popular anti-stress hormones. Therefore, you can quickly get relief from stress and even feel energetic and active for the rest of the day. If you are worried about how to consume matcha powder that will be healthy and tasty, here are some ideas that will undoubtedly help you. 

1. Black tea mixed with matcha powder
2. Green smoothie with kale, spinach, matcha powder, coriander, and mint
3. Ice cream made from matcha powder
4. Soft sponge cake with matcha mixed in the batter
5. Matcha powder mixed with any green vegetable juice

2. Chamomile tea

Another product that you can easily rely on to reduce stress levels is chamomile tea. It is a mild sedative that can quickly calm down frenzied nerves and help you relax. Taking chamomile tea before bed is better as it will induce sleep and ensure you can have a relaxing slumber. This way, the following day, you won't wake up feeling stressed about the events to take place through the rest of the day.

Apart from this, chamomile also has a calming and soothing effect. You will soon feel rejuvenated once you continue to drink the tea daily. If you are involved with a stressful job or work life, including this tea in your regular diet is extremely important. You can buy store-bought tea bags or make a chamomile tea blend. 

To make the chamomile tea blend, you must add crushed chamomile leaves dried under the sun, fennel leaves, green tea leaves, and lavender flowers. Once you make the mix, store it in an airtight container. Usually, the mix will have a shelf life of more than one month. 

3. Fatty fish

Fatty fishes like salmon, mackerel, and tuna are laden with omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. These compounds have a considerable role to play in maintaining stress levels and keeping your heart healthy. Omega-3 fatty acids are known to reduce anxiety levels by a significant amount, ensuring you can lead a stress-free life with ease. 

Some of how you can eat the fatty fish most healthily are:

1. Poached salmon with asparagus and nuts sauteed
2. Pan-seared salmon with hummus or cauliflower puree
3. Canned tuna with avocado toast 
4. Salmon with a pistachio crust and accompanied with brown or black rice

4. Broccoli

Green vegetables certainly have more than one role to play in our lives. And broccoli is no exception. It contains the three most essential vitamins and minerals: Vitamin C, magnesium, and folate. These compounds can help the body fight excessive stress levels and reduce anxiety with time. Another essential compound in broccoli is sulforaphane. It is a neuroprotector and can bring down stress levels by a significant amount. 

If you find broccoli a tasteless food item, do not worry much. Here are some of the best ways to harbor the benefits of eating this green vegetable. 

1. Add broccoli to the green smoothie with spinach, kale, and matcha powder.
2. You can roast the broccoli slightly and season the vegetable with salt and pepper for snacks.
3. Having broccoli soup topped with a drizzle of olive oil and roasted peanuts will also help you to deal with stress over time. 

How to make the best out of your stress-reduction diet?

Although this food item will help you deal with stress levels, you also need to harbor other habits. Together, you can achieve a stress-free life faster and more efficiently. Here are some ways to quickly bring positive changes in your life along with following a balanced diet. 

1. Do engage yourself in a proper physical activity routine. It can be in yoga, core, and abs strength exercises, walking and jogging, Pilates, or Tai Chi. This will help improve blood circulation and release serotonin and dopamine in the blood. As a result, you won't have any further problems eliminating stress from your life. 
2. Ensure to meditate daily. Meditation has a lot of benefits that most people fail to recognize. For instance, it will calm you down and reduce your anxiety levels. In addition, meditation can also reduce stress and stimulate the body to increase the stress hormones like dopamine and serotonin in higher amounts.
3. Replace coffee with green tea, matcha powder, or oolong tea. Not only are these healthier and safer for your health, but they also don't have caffeine content. Therefore, you won't have to worry about getting addicted to caffeine. Plus, having such relaxing and calming teas with no caffeine can help you improve your gut health and experience prolonged impact, albeit in a good way. 
4. Try to engage yourself in a positive environment where there is no toxicity, comparison, and humiliation. The better the ambiance is, the better will be your psychological health. So, always withdraw from others who are toxic for you. After all, if your mind is not in a proper state, it won’t be able to produce meaningful results even if you consume stress-relieving food items.

Conclusion 

As you know the top food items to include in your diet for eliminating stress, you need to establish a balanced diet with these items. Ensure to eat only high-quality food so you won't have to worry about other health issues. In addition, you also need to ensure the cooking process doesn’t involve any food that might prove to be harmful, like adding too much oil or using food items from the previous week.