Stress busters – Foods

How to reduce stress? Eating food is one of the excellent ways that helps you to reduce stress. One of the simple and easy ways of reducing stress is eating some healthy foods to satisfy your hunger and feel better.

Snack on a handful of nuts. They’re packed with magnesium, which seems to help keep cortisol levels low. Nuts are high in calories, so if you’re watching your weight, make sure not to eat more than a dozen a day.

Grab a combo of pistachios, cashews, almonds, walnuts, and pumpkin seeds for a powerhouse package of fiber, antioxidants, and unsaturated fatty acids, all of which lower blood pressure. In one study, pistachios dulled the effects of anxiety in people taking a math test. Omega-3 essential fatty acids in walnuts have been linked to reduced rates of depression, the selenium in cashews and almonds has been shown to elevate mood, and tryptophan in pumpkin seeds may help the brain make serotonin. Just stick to one handful not more than that.

Check all recipes of my blog that contains Nuts

Sweet potatoes or chakra Valli kizhangu or Shakarkandi 

Sweet potatoes are full of immune boosting nutrients which help you fight stress. A warm dish of sweet potatoes after a long day gives you a feeling of satisfaction and tranquility. Shakarkandi is one of the very popular street dishes offered in India. It is made out of sweet potatoes and therefore helps reducing stress. Also, sweet potatoes are regarded as one of the healthiest foods to eat due to the presence of vitamin A, vitamin C, manganese, fiber, B vitamins, potassium, and iron.

Banana: Bananas are rich in Vitamin C which is a great stress-fighting nutrient. It helps repair cell damage caused due to stress. Also, the potassium that it contains helps in maintaining healthy heart muscles.

http://cookingmypassion.com/recipe/banana-sweet-recipe

http://cookingmypassion.com/recipe/bread-banana-toast

Curd: curd is packed with calcium which is a superstar in slashing stress.  It has been studied that the ‘good bacteria’ found in curd helps to kill anxiety and depression. Cool down with a comforting bowl of this natural stress-cleanser.

I remember when we go out for an interview or an examination our mom will give curd with sugar. It tastes delicious but now I came to know the reason behind having it. It just reduce your stress level and keeps your stomach cool.

Coconut: Squash the stress with coconuts. The water, the flesh, the oil or the butter, all of the coconut is trending and for good reason. Coconuts contain medium chain fats that improve our mental health and infuse positive energy.  The scent of the coconut is known to have a psychological effect that helps diminish anxiety and slows our heart rate. The sweet, pleasant fragrance of the coconut augments alertness and tones down the ‘fight or flight’ response when faced with a stressful situation.

You can have tender coconut in any time of the day. The flesh of the tender coconut tastes good and it has enormous amount of good vitamins and minerals.

http://cookingmypassion.com/recipe/tender-coconut-kheer

Lentils: Lentils are packed with all types of Vitamin B, nature’s own happy pill. It helps reduce tiredness and fatigue. Lentils also stabilize the blood sugar and fire-up your energy levels. Sneak them into your diet to calm your tired muscles.

Rajma

Eggs

Eggs are important for baking, improving fitness, rich source of proteins, vitamin B, zinc and Omega 3. Eggs are a great way to start your day; they give you that boost of energy needed for an entire day’s activities, including workouts.

In terms of happiness, eggs prevent hunger and unnecessary food cravings, which in turn help you eat less food. This helps you maintain a healthy weight that is free of unhealthy indulgences, and more importantly – blood sugar spikes from unhealthy snacking. This process itself makes you happier, you eat less, you avoid junk food and you can lose weight.

Egg is full of protein which is good for health. But be sure you have it boiled. Hard boiled eggs are more good than other form.

Drink a glass of milk. It contains tryptophan, which as it is metabolized is converted to mood-boosting serotonin. Plus, its calcium, magnesium and potassium content may help keep blood pressure down. For the office goers this would be the easiest way. As they can get milk from their cafeteria.

Drink green tea-packed with theanine, which increases the brain’s output of relaxation-inducing alpha waves and reduces the output of tension-making beta waves. People at office those who are stressed at the end of the day can have a  cup of green tea at their desk.

Drink a glass of cold water, then go for a walk outside. The water gets your blood moving and the air invigorates by stimulating the endorphins that de-stress you.

I think this may the easiest way of reducing stress. Hope this post may be useful for you all.

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Source :food.ndtv.com, vahrehvah.com, eatingwell.com