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Many people like to eat when they feel stressed. But instead of reaching for foods that are not healthy or good for you, you can eat foods that could reduce your cortisol level and help you feel calm.
Cortisol is the hormone that regulates your body’s response to stress but it also has many other important functions, according to The Cleveland Clinic. You need cortisol to help get you going in the morning and when you have to deal with a stressful situation.
Cortisol also helps regulate your blood pressure and blood sugar, reduces inflammation, and helps you sleep. But too much cortisol can be harmful to your overall health and wellbeing. While there is no magical solution to lower your cortisol levels, there are foods that can help, according to mindbodygreen. Try these seven foods to help restore calm.
Green Tea
While decaffeinated tea is calming, green tea in particular can reduce cortisol levels. A 2022 study, published in Biomedical Reports found that one of the many health benefits associated with consuming decaffeinated green tea is a reduction of cognitive stress and anxiety that ate caused by too much cortisol.
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Avocado
This superfood is chock full of health benefits including 20 vitamins and minerals, and fiber, as well as cortisol, reducing omega-3s and magnesium, according to Well + Good. Magnesium is a mineral that helps promote calm and sleep. The natural goodness of the healthy fats in avocados could also reduce inflammation and promote heart health. The fiber is good for gut health and good gut health is a natural stress reducer.
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Salmon and Fatty Fish
Salmon and other fatty fish – herring, mackerel, and sardines – contain a large amount of omega-3s which can help reduce inflammation in your body. Another important role that omega-3s play is in balancing mood as well as lessening anxiety and depression; two side-effects of too much cortisol.
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Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate is a food that is high in magnesium which can help your body metabolize cortisol, according to Cleveland Health. Dark chocolate also contains a host of nutrients, fiber, powerful antioxidants that could reduce inflammation, and can also help reduce your risk of heart disease. This is one snack that is very good for you.
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Fermented Foods
Fermented foods like kimchi, kombucha, sauerkraut, and kefir support gut wellness. Eating the foods that promote a healthy gut is directly related to reducing your stress and cortisol levels according to a 2022 study published in Molecular Psychiatry. The participants of the study that ate a psychobiotic diet were found to have a considerable reduction in stress and actually slept better.
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Almonds
Eating almonds is also a good way to help you relax, according to Well + Good. That’s because almonds contain a large amount of magnesium and the highest amount of fiber in any tree nut. Almonds are also an excellent source of plant-protein and come with a host of other health benefits.
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Chamomile Tea
Drinking herbal tea like chamomile will promote sleep. Getting an adequate amount of sleep every night is crucial for maintaining your cortisol levels. If you are having difficulty sleeping, try eating some magnesium rich foods before you go to bed.
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