Best food choices to ease stress & anxiety
Eating a healthy diet is not only good for your physical health – but what you eat can have a significant impact on your mental wellbeing. Increasing evidence is coming to light which shows that what you eat affects how you feel. Your diet can alter your metabolism and brain chemistry, ultimately affecting your energy level and mood.
Want proof that food can change your mood? Think the huge Sunday roast complete with roasties, yorkshires and gravy or the large bowl of pasta and garlic bread, a couple of meals that leave you as sleepy as a dose of Valium. And when you’re feeling low you don’t reach for broccoli, do you? No, you grab chocolate, crisps or bread, because that’s what makes you feel better. Scientists, who once thought the food and mood link was as far-fetched as alien abductions, have changed their minds. Today there’s plenty of research on the mind-altering effects of junk food.
Some interesting facts
- 25% of people report a regular lowering of mood (not depression) due to workplace stress
- 25% of the adults in Britain feel low from time to time
Low mood symptoms can include
- Poor concentration
- Poor memory
- Lethargic/lacking in energy
- Sleeping too much or too little
- Increase or decrease in appetite
- Reduction in social interaction
- Lowering of self-confidence and self esteem
Although this is not an extensive list – here are some suggested foods to get you started.
Remember always aim for a healthy balanced diet, plenty of exercise and find time to relax. If you have certain medical issues, you may be asked to avoid some of these foods by your healthcare professional.
Whole grains
Long-lasting energy foods for muscles and brain
- Whole wheat pasta
- Brown/wild rice
- Whole grain bread
- Quinoa
- Oats
- Buckwheat
- Bulgur
- Corn
- Rye
- Spelt
Dairy food
Rich in B-vitamins and calcium needed for energy to keep you alert
- Natural yoghurt
- Low fat milk
Green leafy vegetables
Rich in B-vitamins needed for energy and iron
- Spinach
- Curly kale
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
Foods rich in iron and protein
Iron is needed for oxygen transport
- Pulses (lentil, beans, chickpeas)
- Lean meat
- Fish
- Eggs
- Nuts and seeds
- Green leafy vegetables
Fruit
Rich in Vitamins C and B needed for energy; great for snacks, aim for 2 different colours a day![]()
- Blackcurrants
- Oranges
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Tomatoes
- Red and black grapes
- Blueberries
- Kiwis
- Pineapple
Fluids
Helps keep you mentally alert
- Water (1.5 to 2 Litres a day)
Try some of our delicious naturally flavoured waters to help maintain good hydration.
Struggling to get the important things done? There is a clear link between nutrition and productivity. Fuel yourself for the day ahead.
