Stress and Nutrition: What's the Link?

If you’re working to reduce your stress levels, you may have tried widely recommended approaches such as meditation, improving your sleep quality, or therapy — but changing your diet may just be the key that’s missing.

The foods we eat and how stressed we feel are indeed inextricably linked, and emerging research continues to highlight just how interrelated these aspects of health really are.

A 2020 review of the existing literature on the relationship between diet, stress, obesity, and psychiatric disorders related to stress found that diet and obesity can affect mood through direct effects, stress-related mental disorders could lead to changes in diet habits, and specific aspects of diet can lead to acute changes in mood as well as stimulate inflammation.

The review also noted that there has been increased attention recently on the relationship between the gut and the brain, which has led to the realization that the gut microbiome influences brain function and probably also mood and behavior — highlighting yet another way diet can influence mental health and disorders.

“Understanding the relationship between diet, stress, mood, and behavior could have important implications for the treatment of both stress-related mental disorders and obesity,” the review concluded.

The science suggests that diet and stress can directly impact one another, and Carrie Lupoli, M.Ed., IBNFC, a board-certified nutritionist and behavioral specialist, tells WellnessPulse this is the missing component in many people’s wellness journeys.

How does food impact your stress levels?

When we don’t consume balanced meals and instead eat diets consisting mostly of processed foods and refined sugars, we’re more likely to experience blood sugar spikes and dips, Lupoli explains. Blood sugar fluctuations have been shown to result in negative mood disturbances such as anger, anxiety, and irritability.

Blood sugar fluctuations also often lead to energy crashes, Lupoli notes, which can affect mood and our ability to accomplish what we need to get done in a day. This, in turn, can also cause stress.

The same foods that cause blood sugar fluctuations can also lead to inflammation. Both of these reactions can lead to the release of stress hormones such as cortisol, according to Shelley Balls, MDA, RDN, LDN, a registered dietitian and nutritionist for Flawless Bloom.

When the body releases cortisol, it goes into a state of fight-or-flight. When this state lasts for a prolonged period, it causes mood swings and disturbances, among other health issues.

How does your stress level impact what you eat?

If you are already experiencing high stress levels in your life, you are more likely to make poor choices when it comes to your diet, Lupoli says.

“Stress triggers the release of cortisol, which spikes blood sugar and increases cravings — especially for quick-energy foods like sugar,” she says. “Adrenaline levels rise, more glucose is released from the liver, and the body gets stuck in a cycle of stress-induced inflammation that has a massive impact on our health.”

Stress can lead to poor nutrition because it often leads to stress eating, Balls adds.

Stress eating is a type of emotional eating in which someone eats without actually being hungry as a form of self-soothing. This usually causes calorie excess and poor nutrition, especially if the stressor is a constant in someone’s life.

“Stress eating is triggered by stressful situations and circumstances, but during chronic stress, cortisol levels are elevated for a prolonged period of time, which can lead to increased food consumption, fat storage, and weight gain over time,” she says.

If you feel stressed or are going through a stressful time, Balls says it’s important to find ways to reduce stress other than food. This may include exercise, taking a warm bath, listening to music you enjoy, or talking to a loved one. These can be great ways to decrease stress rather than turning to food to soothe your emotions, she notes. Meditation may also help as it allows you to pay attention to your senses and appreciate your surroundings, which can promote relaxation without the use of food.

Can certain foods induce stress?

Just as stress can lead to overeating, certain foods can worsen stress in the body. Foods and nutrients that tend to trigger stress include those that cause poor sleep such as caffeine, and foods that increase inflammation such as refined carbohydrates, added sugars, fried foods, and sodium rich foods, Balls explains.

Alcohol can also be the main culprit.

“Although alcohol can provide a short sense of relaxation, it can stimulate the release of stress hormones, such as cortisol, negatively impacting your state in the long run,” Balls says. “Alcohol can also decrease sleep health, which is directly linked to stress as well.”

Sleep, nutrition, and stress are all closely interconnected, she explains, and getting adequate and quality sleep can help you reduce your stress levels.

“For example, a poor night's sleep due to high stress leads to poor food choices the next day and increased food cravings for high fat and sugar foods, which leads to an increase in foods that trigger stress, and stress then impacts your ability to sleep,” she says. “It can be a vicious cycle.”

Can certain foods help with stress?

While the foods you eat can increase your stress levels, your dietary choices can also help reduce your stress and improve your mood.

To do this, Balls suggests focusing on nurturing your body with nutritious foods that can help decrease stress levels, such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats.

“Aim for balanced meals that are rich in antioxidants, dietary fiber, healthy fats, and lean protein,” she says. “When you sit down to eat your balanced meal or snack, avoid all distractions and practice mindful eating which can also help decrease stress, and promote a healthy gut brain connection.”

How to stop the stress-eating cycle

To help reduce stress eating, Balls suggests trying these steps when you feel the urge to turn to the kitchen:

• When you feel the urge to eat, stop and ask yourself if you’re really hungry or if you’re stress eating. Practice mindful eating by listening to your hunger and fullness cues. If you realize you’re not actually hungry, take a walk or a warm bath instead.
• Find nutrient-dense options: If you still feel the need for a snack, consider an option that contains complex carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables, whole grains) and pair it with a protein to help boost nutrient intake and control your intake. Healthy snack ideas include an apple with peanut butter and Greek yogurt, tinned fish such as oysters or kippers with lemon juice, or deviled eggs with avocado.
• Watch your portion size. Instead of eating out of the bag or box, put a snack-size amount of food on a small plate. Read the nutrition facts label to see what one serving is, and try to stick to that.

“When we fuel our body the right way, we feel better physically,” Lupoli says, “and that naturally leads to feeling less stressed.”