Healthy Foods to Eat when Stressed Instead of Junk Food ...

Stress and anxiety are among the most common causes of emotional eating. And the usual thing we reach for is something sweet and sugary. That’s comforting but generally not only causes a later crash but also feelings of guilt which can then make you anxious again. You can avoid this vicious cycle by passing on the sugary treat and reaching for something nutritious and delicious instead.

1 Oatmeal with Walnuts and Berries

You can think of this tasty snack as the holy trinity combination of stress busting. The high levels of Vitamins B and C are perfect for stabilizing your mood and keeping your stress levels at bay.

2 Brazil Nuts

Just two Brazil nuts contain enough selenium to last you an entire day, and selenium helps to reduce anxiety by balancing minerals within your body.

3 Whole Grain Crackers and Nut Butter

The crackers will give you a much needed carbohydrate boost that will stabilize your blood sugar, and the nut butter will provide you with the protein and healthy fats that you need for a healthy and happy diet.

4 Veggies and Raw Cheese

Raw cheese from grass fed cows has been known to have anxiety calming properties, and a perfect partner is something like broccoli that aids comfortable digestion.

5 Avocado Toast

All of the healthy fats in a slice of avocado toast can do your stress levels the world of good.

6 Bananas

Bananas are absolutely packed with Vitamin B6, which is a really effective serotonin booster for the body.

7 Salmon Sushi with Brown Rice

All of the omega-3 fatty acids that can be found in salmon are great for helping to protect your heart from certain stress-induced heart problems.

8 Cashews

Cashews are sometimes referred to as ‘Nature’s Prozac’, as they contain both tryptophan and magnesium which help to calm you down.

9 Dark Chocolate

Finally! A good reason to eat chocolate! Eating dark chocolate in particular can release endorphins in your brain that give you a positive feeling boost.

10 Hardboiled Eggs

Egg yolks contain a lot of choline, which is good for the memory, and a loss of memory is a common cause for a lot of stress.

11 Kale Smoothie

The antioxidants in a kale smoothie will help to increase productivity, which in turn will take your mind off things and decrease anxiety.

12 Sweet Potatoes

Any root vegetable is great because it contains a lot of beneficial antioxidants than battle against harmful and stressful toxins within the body.

13 Superfood Seeds

Your local health store is full of them, but they do actually work! Things like hemp or chia seeds give you an easy and much needed boost of omega-3 and protein.

14 Hot Water and Lemon

This magical combination helps to stimulate your senses, especially when your stress is a consequence of a lingering illness.

15 Quinoa

High in fiber and rich in protein, the trendy food quinoa also contains the all-important magnesium for stress relief.

16 Apples

Don’t forget, an apple a day keeps the doctor away! Apples contain phyto-nutrients, which can act as a natural anti-depressant.

17 Beef Jerky

Good quality beef jerky is packed full of antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids, great things for helping to reduce overall stress levels.

18 Oysters

Oysters are another food that are high in selenium content, meaning that their mineral balancing qualities will encourage your stress and anxiety levels to be much lower.

19 Green Tea

Green tea contains a certain amino acid that is widely thought to contribute to a feeling of relaxation within the body.