Top 10 Stress-Relieving Foods

• comments
• 
• 

Are you tired of stress-eating your way to weight gain? Do you believe that you can make your stress go away by eating that pint of ice cream? Well, one study says otherwise, as it recently found out that eating unhealthy food can actually aggravate stress, not prevent it.

Stress Management Society writes that stress is considered as a health disorder that can affect millions of people. As healthy foods can help create a positive mood among people and thus, combat stress, here is a list of the top 10 stress-relieving foods that should be a part of your daily diet:

AVOCADO. This food is rich in nutrients that can help boost your health. According to a Nutritional Journal research, eating half of the fruit can help curb hunger and make you feel full, which in turn can prevent further snacking later in the day.

BERRIES. Fruits like blueberries and strawberries are rich in anthocyanins, an antioxidant that helps the brain produce dopamine, a chemical that can counter the mood, memory function and coordination. According to TIME Magazine, these fruits are also rich in natural killers that play a major role in immunity and stress.

DARK CHOCOLATE. A study in the Journal of Psychopharmacology defines this kind of chocolate to be the new "anti-anxiety drug." It produces a neurotransmitter in the brain called anandamide that can help block sadness and pain.

GREEN LEAFY VEGETABLES. Vegetables, especially the leafy greens, are rich in folate, a nutrient that increase serotonin and dopamine in the body, making the individual less at risk of developing depression, according to a research made by the University of Otago.

KALE CHIPS. According to Women's Health Magazine, people who eat olive oil on a daily basis increase their ability to feel satisfied. Eating kale also boosts production of carotenoids, an antioxidant noted to help people feel more optimistic.

NUTS AND SEEDS. Besides helping individuals to lower blood pressure, one study claims pistachios can counteract effects of anxiety, according to Women's Heath.

OATS. A bowl of oatmeal helps boost the body's good hormone, serotonin. As it is packed with fiber, there would be no increase in your sugar level, plus it can promote body metabolism, Women's Health adds.

SALMON. Mercola hails omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA for their capacity to influence the emotional well-being of an individual. A study from the Brain Behavior and Immunity states that a dramatic decrease in anxiety has been noticed in a group of medical students taking omega-3 fats.

SMOOTHIES. Freshly-made and combined with either soymilk, which contains folate and helps increase serotonin levels, unsweetened cocoa for dopamine, or ripe banana for potassium can help relieve stress, according to Women's Health Magazine.

YOGHURT. Women's Health Magazine believes plain, low-fat Greek yoghurt can increase protein and calcium in the body, which can help release neurotransmitters that can make an individual happy.