Can a good diet help with anxiety? Given that anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older, it’s worth taking note of the best foods to include in our diets. According to research from the Harvard Medical School, what you eat in your diet can play an important role in managing anxiety.
This is a great, quick video to give you ideas on what foods to include in your diet to lower anxiety.
What kind of foods can increase anxiety?
First let’s look at what things in our diet could increase anxiety. A common one is coffee, energy drinks, and drinks high in caffeine. Caffeine inhibits levels of serotonin in the brain which may cause you to feel depressed, irritable and make it difficult to sleep, which in turn can make you more anxious.
A common component in our diets, high levels of sugar, is also linked to anxiety. Too much sugar decreases a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which is involved in the development of depression and anxiety. High levels of sugar intake lead to short term spikes in our blood sugar levels which effects our energy levels and our overall mood.
What are the best types of food to help with anxiety?
It’s not just common sense. Scientific research shows that there are benefits to depression and anxiety levels when we eat better. But what kind of foods should we be including in a good diet for fighting anxiety?
According to the Harvard Medical School a diet rich in whole grains, vegetables, and fruits is a healthier option than eating a lot of simple carbohydrates found in processed foods.
Complex carbs break down slower in our body and boost the calming chemical, serotonin, in our brain.
According to Dr Sam Robbins, in the video above, we should eat foods that lower the level of cortisol in our body. Cortisol is the body’s primary stress hormone. Foods that do this are those that contain high amounts of vitamin C, (certain fruits and vegetables) and Omega 3 fatty acids.
We should also include foods in our diet that increase our dopamine levels and our dopamine receptor sensitivity which will help us feel happier in general. These are foods that are high in the amino acid L-Tyrosine.
Eat healthy balanced meals, reduce your alcohol intake and drink lots of water throughout the day. Skipping meals may also result in drops in blood sugar that cause you to feel jittery, which may worsen underlying anxiety.
List of foods that help with anxiety
Specific foods have been shown to reduce anxiety.
- Complex carbohydrates such as oatmeal, quinoa, whole-grain breads and whole-grain cereals.
- “Clean” carbohydrates such as white rice, yams, sweet potatoes and fruit.
- Foods naturally rich in magnesium, such as leafy greens (spinach and swiss chard), legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains.
- Foods rich in zinc such as oysters, cashews, liver, beef, and egg yolks.
- Omega-3 rich foods, like fatty fish such as wild Alaskan salmon, sardines, walnuts, flax seed and hemp oil.
- Probiotic-rich foods such as pickles, sauerkraut, and kefir.
- Asparagus.
- Foods rich in B vitamins, such as avocado and almonds.
- Foods rich in vitamin C, such as papaya, oranges, strawberries, kiwi fruit, pineapple, kale, broccoli, brussels sprouts, red bell peppers.
- Antioxidant rich foods such as beans (dried small red, pinto, black, red kidney), fruits (apples, prunes, sweet cherries, plums, black plums), berries (blackberries, strawberries, cranberries, raspberries, blueberries), nuts (walnuts, pecans), vegetables (artichokes, kale, spinach, beets, broccoli), spices with both antioxidant and anti-anxiety properties (turmeric, ginger).
- Turkey which has higher amounts of L-Tryptophan which helps boost serotonin.
- Foods high in the amino acid L-Tyrosine which can increase dopamine levels, including fava beans, duck, chicken, oatmeal, edamame, dark chocolate, seaweed, wheat germ and foods high in Omega-3 fatty acids, specifically the DHA.
A holistic approach
There are many forms and degrees of anxiety and different ways of treating the problem. While there is evidence that an improved diet can help with anxiety, if you are struggling with severe anxiety make sure you seek professional help, especially if this has been going on for some time.
