Find out how food and anxiety are linked (2024)

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Find out how food and anxiety are linked? ›

Avoiding processed foods and foods high in sugar means the body experiences fewer highs and lows of blood sugar, which helps to further reduce feelings of anxiety. Very simply put, a sugar rush can mimic a panic attack.

In some people, certain foods or food additives can cause unpleasant physical reactions. In certain people, these physical reactions may lead to shifts in mood, including irritability or anxiety. Try to eat healthy, balanced meals. Healthy eating is important for overall physical and mental health.

You can use the 333 rule for anxiety in the moment something triggers you. Just look around to identify 3 objects and 3 sounds, then move 3 body parts. Many people find this strategy helps focus and ground them when anxiety seems overwhelming. The 333 rule is a common and informal technique for coping with anxiety.

If you eat lots of processed meat, fried food, refined cereals, candy, pastries, and high-fat dairy products, you're more likely to be anxious and depressed. A diet full of whole fiber-rich grains, fruits, vegetables, and fish can help keep you on a more even keel.

Foods rich in zinc such as oysters, cashews, liver, beef, and egg yolks have been linked to lowered anxiety. Other foods, including fatty fish like wild Alaskan salmon, contain omega-3 fatty acids. A study completed on medical students in 2011 was one of the first to show that omega-3s may help reduce anxiety.

Findings from preclinical and clinical studies show magnesium and zinc deficiency can lead to anxiety, and supplementation can help alleviate anxiety-like symptoms.

Caffeine

Topping the list, caffeine can do many things, including inducing anxiety. It can be great in small doses, though tolerance levels will vary from person to person. In some people, too much caffeine can be a trigger that worsens existing anxiety. Fortunately, it's also an easier trigger to control.

Fatty fish like salmon contain omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to reduce anxiety symptoms and surges of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. You could enjoy a savory breakfast of baked salmon and scrambled eggs, but if you like smoked salmon, that's an option that's available at most bagel shops.

How to stop anxiety quickly? ›

Other foods that may help with anxiety

Turkey, bananas, and oats: These are good sources of the amino acid tryptophan, which is converted to serotonin in the body and may promote relaxation and anxiety relief ( 64 , 65 ).

Based on an extensive study conducted with 3,000 adults, drinking plain water is associated with decreased risk of depression and anxiety.

A troubled intestine can send signals to the brain, just as a troubled brain can send signals to the gut. Therefore, a person's stomach or intestinal distress can be the cause or the product of anxiety, stress, or depression. That's because the brain and the gastrointestinal (GI) system are intimately connected.

Among the children with a food allergy, 57 percent reported having symptoms of anxiety compared to 48 percent of children without a food allergy.

Compared to food-secure adults, adults with very low food security were more likely to screen positive for depression (odds ratio [OR] 7.72; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 5.52–10.80), anxiety (OR 6.19; 95% CI: 4.51–8.51), and high perceived stress (OR 10.91; 95% CI: 7.78–15.30).

In addition to depression, eating too much junk food can worsen symptoms of anxiety. The refined carbohydrates found in a lot of fast food can cause your blood sugar to fluctuate, in some cases triggering panic attacks, insomnia, and symptoms linked to anxiety.