7 Foods known to reduce anxiety levels

There are many foods that are marketed to be ‘nutritional’ when in fact when you read the label you can see there is an enormous amount of sugar in them. Now I don’t at this stage, want to appear all preachy and give a ‘just don’t eat sugar’ blog as I don’t find that is too realistic for many of my students.

One of my teachers, Annie Jones always says, it is better to put in the ‘good stuff’ than take out ‘the bad’. I find this is so true and I find it much easier to add something into my diet (that is beneficial) than focus on taking foods out, which are not as healthy. Adding calming foods into my diet (such as flaxseeds into my smoothie) is way more likely to ensure I reduce what is not serving me than the other way around. It’s a mindset thing, but one that is really important in terms of how we make choices.

According to Klara Mudge, a functional medicine nutritionist,  “The nutritional strategy known as blood sugar balance is a straightforward technique that involves eating fats and proteins at every meal and snack and avoiding sugar and stimulants as much as possible’.(2)

Anxiety can be caused by “Fast” carbohydrates (especially sugar). Carbonated soft drinks are usually the worst offenders. After you consume sugar, it immediately ends up in your blood, so your blood sugar level rises rapidly. Your body counters it by producing more insulin to maintain stable sugar level. Since it has to produce a lot of it (“insulin spike”), your blood sugar level plummets, leading to loss of energy and the feeling of tiredness.

The higher the Glycaemia index the quicker the food is converted into sugar, which, if not burned up immediately with exercise, is then stored as fat.

According to Harvard health School- “A diet rich in whole grains, vegetables, and fruits is a healthier option than eating a lot of simple carbohydrates found in processed foods. When you eat is also important. Don’t skip meals. Doing so may result in drops in blood sugar that cause you to feel jittery, which may worsen underlying anxiety.”(3)

Research at Harvard has shown that 95% of our serotonin receptors (sending messages between the brain and the nervous system) are found in the lining of the gut which means that the healthier our gut is, the less likely we will suffer from anxiety and depression.

So here are my recommendations of what to add into your diet to reduce any anxiety:

1. Smoothies– I love my smoothies and they are probably the easiest way I find to have lots of protein in a morning. I always add sunflower seeds, chia seeds and flaxseeds into the blend. I use milk alternatives such as almond milk or coconut milk with either banana, mango, berries etc Seeds such as flaxseeds and chia seeds are also high in omega 3’s
2. Eating foods high in magnesium such as spinach and swiss chard and legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds has been shown to lower anxiety
3. Low GI foods give the body a steady stream of sugar and energy without creating a sugar surplus, the majority of which will be converted into fat. Wholegrain foods such as  brown rice, millet, rye, oats, whole wheat, corn, quinoa, pasta, sweet potatoes or pulses have a slower burn up of carbohydrates and can therefore be more calmer as it is slows your metabolism
4. Eggs are not only a convenient source of complete protein, they also contain lecithin and choline needed for proper methylation and nervous system function. Choline is a nutrient that forms a key part of the abundant neurotransmitter acetylcholine—used all the time for motor and memory functions in the nervous system.(2)
5. There are plenty of studies out there for eating high-quality chocolate as a boost to your mood. As with all things it has to be very high-quality chocolate and just a little. You will probably notice you only need a small piece, after a meal, if it’s the good stuff. I also like to add a little cacao into my smoothies sometimes too.
6. Asparagus, known widely to be a healthy vegetable. Based on research, the Chinese government approved the use of an asparagus extract as a natural functional food and beverage ingredient due to its anti-anxiety properties. (3)
7. Foods rich in B vitamins such as avocado and almonds have also been found to reduce anxiety.

Digestion of your food

One final thing I’ll mention is how you can improve your digestion of foods so your body is happier with its nutritional intake and feels less ‘stressed’ with processing your food.

Consider the following when preparing and eating food:

• How you are feeling when preparing food (Like Water for chocolate)
• Set a positive intention before cooking
• Light a candle and come into balance before cooking
• Listen to music that uplifts you
• Create a relaxed atmosphere to eat in
• Say grace or thank earth for the food- research has shown the vibration of the food changes and the body begins to prepare enzymes to eat
• Ensure your food is thoroughly chewed