The Best (& Worst) Things You Can Eat When You're Stressed, From An RD

Stressful events are felt in the mind but also experienced by the body. They cause a cascade of biological reactions that rapidly release stress hormones, namely cortisol and adrenaline.

Frustratingly, excess stress hormones can cause a slew of physical symptoms that may last for a while—even after the initial stress event ends. The good news? There are so many ways to support your body after a period of high stress, and eating nourishing foods is one of them.

Our body utilizes extra vitamins and minerals1 during stressful events as it prepares to defend itself. Replenishing our micronutrient stores is a great way to signal safety to our bodies and rebuild our reserves in case another event occurs. It can also help promote proper hydration, detoxification, and drainage; restore baseline circulation; and guide leftover stress hormones out of the body (walking may help with this as well2!)

Blood sugar may become erratic during and after times of stress due to the fact that our stress hormones have a feedback system with blood sugar.

When our blood sugar dips, cortisol is released. Cortisol helps to signal to the body that sugar is needed and directs the body to increase blood sugar (even in the absence of food). During prolonged stress or repeated stress, blood sugar can start to crash and spike, leading to a vicious stress/ blood sugar cycle.

Stress and anxiety can make us feel exhausted. But it's essential to eat within a few hours after stress to re-regulate blood sugar and send safety signals to your nervous system (to let our evolutionary brains know we are not starving!). It can be hard to eat while stressed, as one common side effect of anxiety may be nausea.4

Unchecked, chronic stress is inflammatory to the body5 and can suppress the immune system. This inflammation can migrate to the brain, causing fatigue, sleep issues, brain fog, and eventually other more serious neurodegenerative conditions6.

The standard American diet tends to be high in more pro-inflammatory fats, which can exacerbate the damaging effects of stress. By incorporating more healthy, anti-inflammatory fats, we can neutralize and lower the stress response in the body and brain, creating an environment for healing.

Essential omega-3 fats can be found in cold-water fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, tuna, sardines, herring), chia seeds, flaxseeds, walnuts, and grass-fed meat. Monounsaturated fats can be found in avocado, olive oil, olives, hazelnuts, and almonds.

Ginger touts a variety of properties that can be helpful following a stressful period. Firstly, it can help improve gastrointestinal function and reduce any feelings of nausea7 post-stress. It's also effective in reducing the inflammatory response8 caused by chronic stress.

Plus, ginger has antioxidant properties that work to protect our cells against free radicals and oxidative stress, which can have protective effects against chronic health conditions. Lastly, the warmth of ginger tea can feel soothing and grounding during periods of high stress.

Since we know that blood sugar fluctuations and stress go hand in hand, we want to avoid foods or patterns of eating that make it harder for our body to manage the glucose response.

Avoid foods that are high in sugar or refined carbohydrates. These are digested very quickly in the gut, leading to a spike in blood sugar (followed by a "crash") and erratic cortisol patterns. Skipping meals can have a similar effect on blood sugar, especially during and after stressful events.

Although caffeine and alcohol have different effects on the body (caffeine is a stimulant, and alcohol is a depressant), they can both worsen stress and anxiety symptoms.

Trans fats, high quantities of omega-6 fats from processed sources, and lab-made fats all have a pro-inflammatory effect on the body, which is what you want to avoid during and after stressful times.

While we usually do not have control over the external stressors in our lives, we can control how we respond to them. By replenishing our body with the nutrients it needs to recover appropriately, we can dramatically reduce the physical impacts of stress.