Foods for stress: Dal rice with a dollop of ghee can reduce stress
Highlights
- Potassium-rich pumpkin seeds can de-stress you
- Have cashews when you are having back-to-back meetings
- Peanuts and jaggery also make for a great de-stressing snack
If you have some worry or anxiety at the back of your mind all day, then you have stress. Even worse, you may be chronically stressed too! Excessive stress can pose various health risks. From causing headaches to an upset stomach, high blood pressure, increase in heart rate, unintentional weight gain and weight loss to name a few, there are many ways too much stress harms you. Well, this may come as a reality check to you... that stress has never really helped anyone come out of the situation that s/he has been stressing over. What can help you cope with that stressful situation are some strategies that include change in diet and lifestyle.
Foods for stress: Dietary recommendations to deal with stress
Believe it or not, food is actually a great stress buster, and is a stress inducer. Why you may ask? Comfort food or your favourite food items surely cheer you up when you are having a difficult day. Similarly, following diets that are restrictive in nature make you irritable, have mood swings and even low on mood. Thus, food has a lot to do when it comes to controlling your stress and how you react to a stressful situation.
Foods that can reduce stress needn't necessarily be foods that are tagged as healthy by the food industry - avocado, quinoa, oats, zucchini, Greek yogurt - to name a few. Naturally available, simple home-cooked food can also do wonders in terms of reducing your stress. Read further to know about them.
Also read: Suffering From High Blood Pressure? Don't Take Work Stress Lightly
1. Dal rice with a dollop of ghee
According to celebrity nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar, dal rice with a dollop of ghee is one her favourite de-stressing dinners. You will be surprised to know that dal rice - a meal which is otherwise considered to be carb-heavy - is a protein-rich meal with a complete amino acid profile. You can have dal rice or khichdi for dinner and lunch. It is a highly nutritious meal that can reduce your stress.
Dal rice can be great for reducing your stress levels
Photo Credit: iStock
2. A handful of cashews
Rujuta, in an Instagram video, shares that a handful of cashews can reduce your stress especially on time when you feel stuck or are in between back-to-back meetings. On times when you know a meeting has no agenda, you can have some cashews instead of another cup of tea or coffee. "Cashews can provide you the mental strength to go on with the day," she says.
3. Peanuts and jaggery
Peanuts are protein-rich legumes that you can bank on for healthy mid-meal snacking. You can carry peanuts and jaggery in a small box for snacking in your office time. Rujuta says that the two can help you with period pain or muscle cramps that women commonly experience during periods. Combining jaggery with peanuts can combat sugar cravings that you commonly experience post lunch hours in office.
Also read: These Are The Main Reasons For Childhood Stress; Help Your Child Cope With Stress With These Top Tips
4. Banana
There is nothing like a banana to calm your nerves and de-stress you. Start your day with a banana in case you have extra work pressure or loads of incomplete assignments.
Start your day with a banana for healthy digestion and less stress
Photo Credit: iStock
5. Pumpkin seeds
Potassium-rich pumpkin seeds are not just great for high blood pressure patients, but are also great for reducing stress and anxiety. Pumpkin seeds are also a great source of minerals like zinc.
Another tip for reducing stress: stay away from your phones. Avoid using phones for at least 2 hours before you go to sleep. Start with a shorter time frame like 20 minutes initially. Reducing your phone use before bed time can not only reduce stress, it can also help you get better quality of sleep.
Also read: Stress Management: 5 Simple Ways To Reduce Stress At Work
Other popular stress busting foods
- Brazil nuts
- Fatty fish
- Eggs
- Dark chocolate
- Turmeric
- Chamomile tea and Green tea
- Yogurt
- Nuts and seeds
- Cinnamon
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.