Anxiety is a globally spread disorder evolving from the fast-paced lifestyle and urbanization. Anxiety is a chronic disease that lasts from a few months to years. It affects the routine life of people who suffer from this disorder to a large extent. People develop a fear of anxiety and its symptoms.
Medication helps cure them, but people find medication interferes with their routine and work capabilities. So the solution is to manage their diet habits and add some foods that help them to calm and control their anxiety.
Some foods are scientifically proven to calm anxiety and its symptoms. So one needs to change their habits by adding these anxiety-calming foods to their diet. One can start preparing dishes with these foods and some foods can be consumed directly. These foods are rich in nutrients that help reduce anxiety symptoms, so one can be able to manage anxiety.
10 Foods To Help Calm Anxiety
1. Banana:
Start your day by eating bananas before breakfast. Bananas have proven to have numerous health benefits like lowering blood pressure and heart health and helping to fight stress and anxiety. It contains magnesium and vitamin B9 which has antidepressant properties. It also contains tryptophan, which promotes the making of serotonin in the body, which is a neurotransmitter that elevates the mood.
Science says an increase in serotonin decreases cortisol levels in the body, and cortisol is directly related to stress & anxiety. You can check the other benefits of bananas through the following links 12 benefits of banana
2. Eggs:
One regular-size egg contains 77gm of tryptophan which is almost 25% of daily requirement. Tryptophan proves to trigger serotonin in the body, which is in turn a neurotransmitter that elevates the mood and helps you deal with anxiety in a better way.
You can add two whole eggs to your morning breakfast to kick-punch the serotonin. Besides this eggs are also a good source of protein which are the building block of the human body so it gives you other benefits also.
3. Fatty Fish:
Fatty fish like salmon, sardines, and tuna are rich sources of omega 3 and research shows that high doses of omega-3 help reduce anxiety symptoms to a great extent as omega-3 has a strong relation with cognitive function and mental health.
Also, EPA & DHA in Omega-3 fatty acids reduces inflammation in the body and supports healthy brain function. One can also take omega-3 supplements to fulfill the body’s requirements.
Fishes like salmon & sardines are also rich in vitamin D and studies show a deficiency of vitamin D can also be a reason for depression and anxiety disorder.
4. Pumpkin Seeds:
Pumpkin seeds contain potassium that helps to regulate lower blood pressure and shows control of cortisol levels in the body which is directly responsible for promoting anxiety symptoms. Studies have shown that potassium activates neurons involved in positive thoughts and feelings.
So adding pumpkin seeds to your diet helps you in reducing anxiety symptoms. You can add pumpkin seeds to salads or mix them with other nuts to get maximum health benefits.
5. Nuts:
Two nuts, especially almonds and Brazil nuts, proved to be helpful in calming anxiety symptoms.
Almonds contain magnesium which proves to be very helpful in the fight against stress, depression, and anxiety. Adding magnesium-rich foods to your diet can always be beneficial if you have a stressful lifestyle or face anxiety and depressive symptoms.
Brazil Nuts are a rich source of selenium, a micronutrient that is a component of several biologically active selenoproteins and is known to be involved in several aspects of brain functioning and may exert antidepressant and anxiolytic effects. So adding Brazil Nuts to your diet helps you to calm anxiety symptoms.
You can make a mixture of almonds, brazil nuts, and pumpkin seeds and replace this with your afternoon or evening snacks to take maximum benefit of all three.
6. Chamomile Tea:
Chamomile tea is made up of chamomile herbs that again contain flavonoids that give mental relaxation and help in reducing anxiety symptoms. We recommend at least two servings of chamomile tea a day to get the optimum benefit from it.
7. Green Tea:
Green tea contains an amino acid called theanine which has calming and mental relaxation properties and helps in increasing the body’s serotonin levels to fight anxiety. A study in 2017 confirmed the relaxing and calming effects of theanine on the human body.
8. Dark Chocolate:
Studies show that dark chocolate is beneficial in lowering anxiety symptoms. In another study in 2014, eating just 40 grams per day (around two to three squares) was shown to reduce stress levels.
Dark chocolate or cocoa in dark chocolate contains a special compound called polyphenols which have positive effects on anxiety and enhance calmness.
Dark chocolate also contains tryptophan, which promotes serotonin, a neurotransmitter that is responsible for elevating the mood.
Another compound in dark chocolate is theobromine, which also has properties that elevate the mood and help in reducing anxiety symptoms.
9. Yogurt:
According to studies, there is a direct link between gut health and mental health so poor gut health also induces a negative impact on mental health. So maintaining good health is also a key to improving anxiety symptoms. Yogurt and other fermented foods contain lactobacillus bacteria which aids in the digestion of our food and keeps our gut healthy.
Yogurt also has anti-inflammatory properties which reduce chronic inflammation in the body and support in reducing symptoms.
You can easily add yogurt to your lunch or can be taken in the form of buttermilk to enjoy as a tasty beverage.
10. Spinach:
Spinach is also a good source of magnesium which as stated above helps in reducing the cortisol levels and increasing the serotonin levels in the body. Serotonin is directly involved in lowering the symptoms of anxiety and depression.
One can add dishes made up of spinach 3 to 4 times a week for lunch and dinner.
Conclusion:
Taking foods rich in magnesium, omega-3, and vitamin D such as eggs, bananas, fatty fish, and spinach, and nuts like almonds and Brazil nuts, chamomile & green tea helps greatly to reduce and calm anxiet