Stress is something everyone deals with. Whether it’s a looming deadline, a tough conversation or just juggling a million things, your body feels it. While self-care might make you think of meditation or exercise, food plays a major role, too.
Every bite you take either supports or strains your stress response. That means your snack choices can either help you feel calm and focused or leave you feeling more wired and worn out.
How Blood Sugar Affects Your Mood
Eating refined carbs and sugary foods might temporarily boost you, but a crash usually follows. That crash doesn’t just leave you tired — it can make you moody, anxious and more reactive. When your blood sugar is on a roller coaster, an unbalanced nervous system is usually close behind. Foods like oats, whole grains and fiber-rich fruits help stabilize your blood sugar and steady your mood.
The Link Between Food and Stress
When you’re under stress, your body goes into overdrive, releasing hormones like cortisol to help you power through. This natural response can spike blood sugar, giving you a quick energy burst. While this can be helpful in short doses, consistently high hormone levels can make you feel hungrier than you are when stress becomes a daily habit. Over time, this can lead to overeating and unwanted weight gain.
Certain nutrients can act like natural stress buffers. Vitamin C from citrus fruits and bell peppers can help lower cortisol levels. B vitamins — which are abundant in whole grains, eggs and legumes — support energy production and nervous system function. When your body has the nutrients it needs, it’s far better equipped to handle everyday stressors and unexpected curveballs.
Foods That Help You Stay Calm
If you want to build a more stress-resilient plate, try including more of these ingredients in your daily meals and snacks.
1. Leafy Greens
Spinach, kale and Swiss chard are full of health benefits. They’re packed with magnesium, which regulates cortisol and supports muscle and nerve function. Use these greens as the base for a healthy salad or consider crisping them up in your oven or air fryer for a healthy, crunchy snack.
2. Nuts and Seeds
Almonds, walnuts, and sunflower and pumpkin seeds contain magnesium, B vitamins and healthy fats. These nutrients support brain health and help regulate the body's stress response. Add them to a salad or your morning granola to start your day off right.
3. Fatty Fish
Salmon, mackerel and sardines are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which may help reduce anxiety and improve brain health by lowering inflammation and supporting healthy aging. Get creative by seasoning your fish with different spices, some of which have their own health benefits.
4. Herbal Teas
Chamomile, lemon and peppermint teas can have natural calming effects. They’re also caffeine-free, so you won’t get the jittery side effects of regular tea or coffee. If you drink more than one cup of coffee a day, start by swapping out one of your cups for an herbal tea.
Foods That Can Increase Stress
Just like some foods help your body stay calm, others can amplify stress signals and make you feel worse. Try limiting your intake of these foods.
1. Sugary Drinks and Snacks
Candy, soda and sweetened coffee drinks can cause rapid blood sugar increases and crashes that can leave you feeling more anxious, foggy or irritable.
2. Highly Processed Foods
Packaged snacks, frozen meals and fast food are often high in unhealthy fats and sodium. They can increase inflammation, which has been linked to a higher risk of anxiety and depression.
3. Alcohol
It might feel like a stress reliever at the moment, but alcohol disrupts sleep and shortens your REM cycle. It also depletes nutrients like magnesium, which is a key player in stress management.
4. Artificial Additives
Some food dyes and preservatives may contribute to mood swings and irritability, especially in people who are sensitive to them.
Nutrition Tracking to Manage Stress
While making mindful choices is essential, tracking your nutrition can be a great way to combat stress. Cronometer is a valuable tool to help you better understand how your food choices affect your stress levels, sleep quality and mental health. This science-backed nutrition tracker allows you to track essential nutrients and syncs with activity, sleep and mood data.
You can better understand how your lifestyle affects your overall well-being. You can create customizable goals, track essential micronutrients and review progress reports to ensure your food choices support your mental and physical health. It’s a great way to gain insights into how your body responds to stress and make informed, healthy changes over time.
Eat Well, Stress Less
So many factors can influence your stress levels, but food is one thing you can gain more control over. By making more nourishing choices, you can calm your nervous system, support your brain and handle whatever life throws at you.