Let’s be real, life is hectic. We all have those weeks where we are over-caffeinated, under slept, and stressed to the max. The last thing we need is extra anxiety creeping its way in. Well, did you know that there are foods that can make you feel more anxious? It is fairly well known that coffee, sugar, and alcohol can negatively impact anxiety but here are some anxiety-inducing other foods that might surprise you.
Canned Soup
There is a chemical, Bisphenol A, which is not only difficult to pronounce, it is also in most canned food liners and some plastic. It can cause imbalances in the stress-meditating portion of the brain. Basically, it can negatively influence your anxiety for an extended amount of time. All of a sudden a warm, comforting bowl of soup is not all that comforting.
Food Dyes
Food dyes, particularly Red #40 and Yellow #5 raises your blood sugar and can lead to anxiety. Unfortunately, these types of dyes appear in many candies, gums, and sodas.
Nightshades
Nightshades include potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, goji berries, and peppers. They are often sprayed with a pesticide that does a great job of keeping bugs from eating our food, but also, unfortunately, can block an enzyme that can cause our nervous systems to become over stimulated. This can lead to a variety of health problems, including anxiety.
Spicy Food
When you’re stressed your metabolism slows down and you can have a harder time digesting things. Spicy foods are already somewhat difficult to digest so best to steer clear of the hot peppers when you’re stressing out!
I know it feels like these are all your favorite stress eating foods! But don’t worry there are many other delicious foods that can help balance sugar and vitamin B levels to help keep anxiety in check. It is also important to keep in mind that there are many factors that play into anxiety and stress, and while eating well can help, there are other useful techniques as well.
