Foods that Combat Stress

After a long day and a frustrating commute home, the last thing many of us want to do is tackle cooking dinner, much less figuring out a meal that’s nutritionally balanced. But being time starved and making poor meal choices doesn’t just add to our weight—it can actually add to our stress, too.

The big ones you want to avoid are those refined carbohydrates like sugar and white flour, because they can cause spikes in our blood sugar levels. But don’t worry—there are plenty of foods out there that are proven to help reduce everyday stresses. Here’s a grab bag of foods to gravitate to when you want to help combat that stress without stressing your diet.

Fish: Delicious and rich in all the important B vitamins. Fish also aids in the production of serotonin, regulating our moods and relieving stress. Make it even better by having sushi, as the nori (seaweed) is chock-full of magnesium (which preliminary evidence suggests might be helpful for stress), pantothenic acid, and vitamin B.

Broccoli: Another food busting with those important B vitamins including B12, which helps to boost energy. Broccoli is rich in folic acid, which preliminary evidence suggests might help reduce stress and anxiety. Other leafy greens share these nutrients, including magnesium.

Blueberries: These tasty berries are busting with antioxidants such as vitamin C, which helps protect cells from oxidative stress. Additionally, they are a great source of fiber and low in calories.

Cantaloupe: Cantaloupe are also rich in vitamin C. Prolonged periods of stress may deplete levels of vitamin C (preliminary evidence suggestions that vitamin C might reduce blood pressure and subjective symptoms during stress). Couple it with some cottage cheese rich in vitamins B2 and B12 and you’ve got a great breakfast treat to start your day.

There’s more to losing weight than what you eat, and there’s more to what you eat than just what’s on the label. Managing stress is a key way that women lose weight, and if you eat smart, what goes on your plate can help what’s on your mind.