The holidays are coming and while it means fun and family reunions, it also means endless household management and planning. These could cause stress, which can lead to over-eating and gaining those unwanted holiday pounds. Worry not, here are super foods to combat the super stress.
Most people turn to high-calorie food when stress-eating, like chocolates, cake, pizza and the most common of them all, ice cream. According to Latinos Health, a recent study concluded that there is a strong correlation between a person's mood and the food he eats. Although most would turn to comfort food most of the time, it is still possible to eat healthy while boosting the body's happy hormones by replacing comfort food with superfoods.
Superfoods are defined as natural foods which contain enough amounts of nutrients that the body needs. The most common of these are antioxidants, which counteracts the damage of cells in the body.
So how can these superfoods affect our overall mood? Studies show that the nutrients from these foods are enough to provide a good overall physical and mental health, which correlates to a person's feeling of comfort. Because of this, the body is able to function well, which prevents unnecessary stressful functions for the organs.
Unknown to most people, these superfoods are actually already in any pantry. According to CNN, the most recommended superfoods are green vegetables such as kale, broccoli and leafy greens. Other options include nuts, salmon, herbs and spices, and fruits rich in vitamin C such as oranges and lemon.
Bananas are also a good fix whenever one feels anxious. Another common fruit are tomatoes. These are rich in antioxidants that could help reduce the development of cancer cells in the body, an effect of stress.
If one is truly craving for ice cream, it can be substituted with yogurt, a much healthier and less fatty option. Yogurt has live good bacteria which can also aide the stomach for better digestion.
If you want a more complex option, you can mix oats with your favorite fruits, like strawberries and blueberries, to give you a good mood boost.
So the next time you reach for those unhealthy options, choose the healthier version. You'll find that these superfoods can give you better, if not the same, mood boost whenever you feel stressed out.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
