Anti-Anxiety Diet: What to eat and drink to feel better?

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When I was anxious, I realized that sometimes I felt a bit better after eating, and sometimes the food made it worse. I researched the anti-anxiety diet and found that there might be some links between our brain and our gut.

Here’s what I found ⬇️

Be careful: People react differently to food. The following facts and recipes helped me control my anxiety, but it is still my personal experience. Check with your doctor to be sure those foods are okay for you too.

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FOOD AND DRINKS THAT ARE NOT HELPFUL

Let’s start with the stuff that wasn’t very helpful when suffering from anxiety.

❌ Caffeine: Scientists found out some people have a gene variant and react to caffeine with anxiety and fear. For others, caffeine can still be a stimulus that increases their heart rate. I can relate to that. Sometimes drinking coffee triggered a panic attack right away. I love the taste of coffee, so I switched to caffeine-free bones. It took me a while to find some that I liked – my favorite beans are from Lavazza (AL).

❌ Alcohol: One glass of wine was usually okay, but already the second could bring me in trouble. When I struggled heavily with panic attacks, I had to cut any alcoholic beverage completely from my menu.

❌ Too much sugar: Sweet lemonades, soft drinks, or cake. Too much sugar was a stimulus for a pounding heart for me as well, which led to panic attacks on my worst days. Be mindful of how much of these drinks and sweets you can consume. What helped me a lot was eating some pieces of dark chocolate. It satisfies my craving for sweets but actually has a good effect on my anxiety.

This doesn’t mean you cannot include them in your anti-anxiety diet at all but keep them low.

NUTRIENTS SAID TO EASE ANXIETY

Let’s get to the good part. There are MANY nutrients out there that have a scientific link to be good for you when dealing with anxiety.

✅ Antioxidants: In your body, there are compounds called „free radicals.“ They can cause harm when their level is too high (linked to multiple diseases). That’s why your body has antioxidants (i.e., vitamin C, E, selenium) to fight them. Environmental factors (i.e., pollution), lifestyle (i.e., alcohol), or stress can increase oxidative stress and the formation of free radicals.

A study showed that patients with a general anxiety disorder had significantly lower levels of vitamins A, C, and E in comparison to healthy controls. After an antioxidant supplement therapy, those levels were increased, and they observed an anxiety reduction.

✅ B-Vitamins: Especially vitamin B12 is essential for the neurons and red blood cells to function. A B12 deficiency can cause almost any psychiatric symptom, including anxiety, panic attacks, and depression. There seems to be also a link that vitamin B6 increases the level of serotonin, the happiness hormone, in your body and that a low level increases psychological stress. Low levels of Folate („folic acids“ or vitamin B9) also seem to be linked to anxiety and depression.

✅ Tryptophan: Tryptophan is an α-amino acid used in the biosynthesis of proteins. It is a precursor to the neurotransmitter serotonin (the happiness hormone), melatonin, and niacin (vitamin B3). Those play a significant role in regulating your mood and sleep. Studies show that consuming more dietary tryptophan resulted in decreased anxiety.

✅ Magnesium: The mineral magnesium is involved in many processes within your body. Enabling muscle contraction is the most known purpose, but it also plays an essential role in your brain. A magnesium deficiency can result in muscle tension, fatigue, insomnia, and apparently anxiety. Studies show that low levels of magnesium might be linked to increased anxiety symptoms.

You can get magnesium from a variety of food, but I personally love to start my day by drinking a glass of it. I use Magnesium Verla Orange (AL) and dissolve it in a glass of water. It tastes like orange juice and kick starts my day.

✅ Fiber: Fiber is beneficial for the whole digestive system, but it also helps to steady the blood sugar curve, which helps regulate the mood (unsteady blood sugar levels are linked to negative mood).

ANTI-ANXIETY DIET RECIPES

I want to share my favorite recipes with you. Let me know in the comments if you like them 🙏

BREAKFAST

• Recipe Anti-Anxiety Breakfast: Overnight Oats „Mango Lassi“

SNACKS

Anti-Anxiety Snacks

DINNER

Recipe Anti-Anxiety Dinner: „Orange Salmon“