In the wake of Mental Health Awareness Week, we’re zooming in on a perhaps less discussed – but valid – aspect of mental health: stress. Specifically, the relationship between food and stress. Some food types themselves can contribute to stress, while stress itself can cause us to seek out ‘less healthy’ foods. Of course, ‘everything in moderation’ always applies here (we love a sugary baked good as much as the next person), but, according to the experts, there are ways we can harness our diets to help ease stress.
‘Stress can have a very real, physical effect on the body. When you’re stressed, your body produces hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline whose job is to prepare your body to deal with the stressor,’ says nutritionist, functional medicine practitioner, and Nutritionist Resource member Katie Edwards. Cortisol, Edwards explains, is like ‘Goldilocks’ porridge. ‘It has to be just right. Too much cortisol triggers your immune system – 70% of which is located in your gut – to increase inflammation,’ she explains. ‘Too little cortisol, which happens when you’ve been chronically stressed, can have the same effect: your body interprets this as a sign there is not enough fuel in the tank and sends a warning, again in the form of inflammation.’
How is food connected to stress?
Edwards points to the ‘intimate connection’ between our brain and gut via the Vagus nerve. ‘This nerve is like an information superhighway. So, when your gut is out of balance, it can affect your mood and mental wellbeing, too. It’s one of the reasons why you feel anxious, depressed, or experience increased digestive issues when you’re stressed. Because everything in your body is connected, it can affect other systems too, including your hormones, heart and skin.’
One of the reasons it can be hard to lose weight when you’re stressed, Edwards explains, is because your body ‘interprets chronic stress as a danger sign, so it will naturally conserve energy to try and keep you going’, and fat is the richest energy source. ‘From your body’s perspective, chronic stress from a difficult relationship or job challenge is no different from a real life-or-death situation, causing it to naturally cling to fat to “survive”.’
Aldo Murillo
The body can react to chronic stress in an extreme way
Why does stress cause food cravings?
If craving sweets and chocolate during stressful times feels familiar, there’s science behind that, too. ‘Cortisol also affects insulin production. That means chronic stress can disrupt your blood sugar, causing you to feel hungrier and crave foods that are high in quick release energy, specifically sugar and refined carbohydrates. We literally crave sweets when life feels overwhelming and lacking sweetness,’ says Edwards.
‘Stress eating is a real and scientifically recognised behaviour’
‘Stress eating, commonly referred to as emotional eating, is a real and scientifically recognised behaviour and one that I regularly see in clinic amongst my clients,’ confirms longevity-focused nutritional therapist and Nutritionist Resource member Ruchi Bhuwania Lohia. While stress can draw us to high-sugar foods, ‘regular consumption of these foods doesn’t just affect weight, it also feeds pathogenic bacteria in the gut, disrupting microbial balance,’ explains Lohia. ‘As gut health declines, it can exacerbate low mood, anxiety, and cravings, fuelling a cycle where poor dietary choices and emotional distress reinforce one another.’
How can you use food to reduce stress?
‘Food is a wonderful way to increase your resiliency to stress,’ says Edwards. ‘Say you eat three meals and two snacks a day, on average. That’s 35 opportunities a week to make a choice that can support your body. Put it another way, every meal is a fresh chance to boost your resilience to stress.’ He adds that adopting this mindset and making small changes can help take the pressure off yourself, also helping to reduce stress and anxiety.
‘That’s 35 opportunities a week to make a choice that can support your body’
‘You send a powerful message of “OK-ness” to your body, which in turn helps lower circulating stress hormones. When you have less cortisol zipping around the body, your rational mind comes back online, making it easier to choose foods which support your health and reduce stress eating,’ she explains.
But, back to those 35 weekly opportunities you have to make stress-reducing food choices, below Edwards and Lohia have listed 10 easy food and drink swap ideas to help reduce stress.
Healthy food and drink swaps to reduce stress
Edwards suggests:
- ‘Instead of refined carbs such as pasta and bread, opt for sweet potatoes, oats and ancient grains like buckwheat, which are high in Vitamin B5 – a nourishing tonic for the adrenal glands.’
- ‘Swap sugary snacks for a handful of walnuts and a few squares of organic dark chocolate (70% or higher). The healthy fat from walnuts nourishes your brain, keeps you satiated and balances blood sugar, reducing the chance of comfort eating. Dark chocolate contains theobromine, which has been shown to improve cognitive function and mood.’
- ‘Include two to three servings of dark green leafy veg daily for magnesium (eg. bok choy, collard greens, mustard greens, kale, spinach, Swiss chard, watercress, rocket, parsley). Magnesium supports restful sleep, reduces tiredness and encourages a brighter mood and sense of wellbeing.’
- ‘Swap regular lattes for a turmeric latte with oat milk. Caffeine can overstimulate your adrenals and make you feel more stressed. Turmeric is a powerful natural anti-inflammatory, while the oats contain vitamin B5. This swap still provides comfort without the unwanted cortisol spikes.’
- ‘Include zinc-rich foods every day to support the gut-brain connection and reduce anxiety. Find in: pumpkin seeds, oysters, grass-fed beef, chickpeas, cashews, lamb, chicken, mushrooms, shrimp, flaxseeds.’
One oat turmeric latte, please: For a powerful natural anti-inflammatory, swap coffee for turmeric
Lohia suggests:
- ‘Swap sugary cereal for plain Greek yoghurt with berries, seeds, and nuts.
This combination represents a balanced breakfast, stabilises mood, supports gut health and keeps you fuller for longer.’ - ‘Swap white bread for whole grains or sourdough. Unlike white bread, whole grains and sourdough varieties provide sustained energy and are gut-friendly too.’
- ‘Swap fizzy drinks like cola for kombucha. It satisfies the craving for something fizzy with far less sugar and adds gut-friendly probiotics. Pro tip: Opt for ginger kombucha, which is lower in sugar than fruity versions.’
- ‘Swap processed meats for lean protein. Instead of processed meats (like sausages, deli meats), choose grilled chicken, fish, eggs or plant-based proteins like tofu or lentils to reduce the urge of stress-eating and to nurture gut bacteria.’
- ‘Swap crisps for seeded crackers with hummus. This combo offers crunch and satisfaction without the energy crashes. Pro tip: choose crackers with minimal ingredients and pair with a few tablespoons of hummus for a balanced snack.’
Choose kombucha for your fizzy drink fix
Disclaimer: these tips do not mean you have to completely ditch the white pasta or feel bad about eating a whole Toblerone. Instead, think of them as helpful nutrition inspiration to help ease stress in small, manageable ways.
If you need to speak to somebody about disordered eating:
- Get in touch with your GP and explain what’s going on, so you can be referred for specialist help
- Contact Beat, the UK’s eating disorder charity, on 0808 801 0677 or beateatingdisorders.org.uk
- Get in touch with eating disorder support service Seed on 01482 718130 or seedeatingdisorders.org.uk
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