Find Out Which 10 Surprising Foods Reduce Anxiety!
Anxiety is defined as a fear that doesn’t
correspond to reality from a future event or circumstances that our body
interprets as danger, and is expressed, among others, by increased
heart rate, shortness of breath, and tense muscles. Although the
explanation for this phenomenon lies in humankind’s distant past, when
man was forced to deal with life-threatening situations that don’t
happen in today’s day and age, anxiety is still present in modern
reality because of our body's tendency to interpret stressful events as
being in danger.
As our tendency to get stressed out by different events increases,
anxiety becomes more prolonged and with it, real damage such as
insomnia, decreased concentration, irritability, and illness occur.
Fortunately, anxiety symptoms can be alleviated and our mood can be
improved by adding the following 10 foods to our diets.
1. Asparagus
2. Chicken and turkey meat 
Whether served as a healthy snack or as
part of a meal, asparagus is considered a healthy, nutritious and tasty
vegetable. Moreover, it also contains a number of important substances
that help relieve anxiety symptoms because it is an excellent source of
folic acid and vitamin B which positively affect brain function, reduces
stress and improves mood, as well as potassium – a mineral known for
its ability to lower blood pressure.
2. Chicken and turkey meat
Tryptophan is an amino acid found in a
variety of foods rich in protein, including turkey meat, which is
considered to be a great and readily available source. Tryptophan is
also involved in the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter rightly
called the "happy hormone" because of its ability to reduce symptoms of
stress and anxiety.
3. Avocado
Chronic stress, poor nutrition, and certain
medical conditions can deplete the body's vital nutrients, including B
vitamins. Because this group of vitamins is essential for normal brain
function, lack of them can cause irritability, fatigue, emotional
instability, and anxiety. One of the richest foods in this group, which
is also known as an anxiety reducer, is avocado and is therefore highly
recommended to eat.
4. Blueberries 
Blueberries are sweet, nutritious, juicy
and low in calories, and it is no wonder that blueberries have become a
favorite ingredient in a variety of desserts around the world. The
combination of these benefits also helps them to improve mood and
relieve anxiety symptoms. This is because blueberries are a rich source
of anthocyanins, the pigments that give them their blue color, which act
as antioxidants that help the brain produce dopamine, a
neurotransmitter responsible for our mood. Blueberries also contain
vitamin C, known for its ability to relieve stress.
5. Beef
In addition to the fact that it can be used
in a variety of tasty dishes, another excellent reason to add beef to
our diet is its ability to help reduce anxiety symptoms due of its
richness in vitamin B, iron, and zinc which are known to have a positive
effect on the brain. Experts caution that excessive consumption of red
meat may increase the risk of heart disease and other diseases, and
therefore, should be eaten in moderation.
6. Cashews
If you suffer from stress and anxiety,
adding a few cashews to your daily diet will provide you with many
substances that have been proven in various studies as beneficial to
improving mental health. Magnesium, which is found in cashews, helps in
the production of serotonin - the hormone that balances and improves our
mood - as well as omega-3 fatty acids, a compound essential for
promoting heart health, which has recently become increasingly
associated with mental health due to its positive effect on symptoms of
depression and anxiety.
7. Whole wheat bread
Complex carbohydrates are a great way to
help the brain increase production of serotonin, a hormone that
regulates mood and improves emotional balance. In the case you have
already chosen to consume carbohydrates, it is better to incorporate
foods that contain complex carbohydrates such as wholewheat bread. This
is because the body takes longer to process them, allowing for a longer
effect of carbohydrate products, such as serotonin.
8. Bananas
Beyond being an excellent tropical fruit,
easy to eat with its rich and addictive sweet taste, bananas are also a
great food when it comes to dealing with anxiety. Bananas are a source
of tyrosine, an amino acid that is responsible, among other things, for
the proper transfer of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain, which
helps to improve mood and alleviate anxiety. Also, the presence of
another amino acid called tryptophan (also found in turkey) helps
increase the production of serotonin in the brain, and in turn brings a
sense of relaxation and calm.
9. Turmeric
Turmeric is commonly known as the main
spice in Indian curry, however, not many people know that it is rich in
antioxidants called curcuminoids, which affect the functioning of the
brain and allow it to have the same effects as anti-anxiety medication.
In addition, turmeric helps the brain increase its serotonin output in
the body - a hormone known for its calming effect - as well as the level
of dopamine production, a neurotransmitter that affects emotional
stability.
10. Chamomile tea
For thousands of years, chamomile flowers
have been used in traditional folk medicine as a natural treatment that
gives the user relaxation and peace of mind and can be found in ancient
Egyptian and Greek medicine. A study published by the University of
Pennsylvania in 2009 gave this hypothesis scientific legitimacy after
confirming the calming effect of chamomile capsules on anxiety symptoms.