7 Stress-Causing Foods You Should Avoid at All Costs

Packaged snacks

It’s true: Overstressed individuals tend to eat more fast food and less produce, say nutrition experts. Unwrapping a chocolate bar or ripping open a bag of chips can be a temporary relief you’re feeling under pressure.

But eating too much over-processed food is associated with higher stress levels, per a 2021 study in the ‌International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health‌.

These stress-causing foods have many ingredients, including added sugars, fats, food additives, and sodium, which nutritionists say can lead to physiological anxiety. Overconsumption of stress-causing foods can elevate blood pressure, causing the release of adrenaline.

This is a stress hormone that’s frequently associated with the fight-or-flight response. You can limit your packaged snacks a bit better by choosing nutrient-dense foods like clementines, baby carrots with hummus, or sliced almonds with some dark chocolate if you want something quick to munch on.

Don’t know what type of dark chocolate to choose? We’re big fans of the BROOKSIDE Dark Chocolate from Amazon.

Have you considered removing some of these stress-causing foods from your diet? Be sure to share your experience with us in the comments section below.

But in the meantime, Healthy Reads has much more to offer. For instance we highly recommend you also check out: 7 Shocking Vitamin Deficiencies Linked to Anxiety