When stress starts to set in, it can be easy to overindulge and resort to stress eating. But why do we stress eat, and what should we be eating instead?

We all experience stress, but how often and for how long we experience stress can vary, as can how we handle stress when it arises. Stress can impact not only how we are feeling emotionally, but how we feed physically, too. 

When we experience stress, it can lead to changes in our eating habits and even changes in our digestion. This is because stress can lead to fluctuations in your appetite, as well as the fight or flight response shutting down digestion as it prioritises more important functions.

Once you start to come out of a stressful period, your body may go into a ‘recovery mode’ – meaning that your appetite goes up, and you might start to experience food cravings. For others, chronic stress can have the opposite effect, leading to a suppressed appetite.

Numerous studies have shown links between stress and eating more unhealthy foods. Studies have also shown that certain kinds of food that provide essential nutrients and promote relaxation can help to balance out your body’s stress response

Learning how to manage your stress, finding healthier coping mechanisms when sugary cravings or the desire for comfort foods hit, and focusing on foods that can fuel your body, and help you to feel calmer by boosting serotonin levels and cutting cortisol and adrenaline. 

So, what should you be eating, and what’s best to avoid when you’re feeling stressed?

Food swaps to make when you’re feeling stressed

Switch tea, coffee, and soft drinks for matcha or herbal teas 

Drinks high in caffeine can reduce our ability to deal with stress. This is because caffeine is a stimulant, which can lead to the release of more hormones like cortisol (the stress hormone) and can result in us feeling more nervous and having more trouble sleeping. 

If you’re craving a hot drink, switching to matcha can be a great option. Rich in L-theanine, a non-protein amino acid with strong stress-relieving properties, matcha is lower in caffeine, high in antioxidants, and may help boost brain function, support stress relief, and improve gut health. 

Nutritional Therapist Amber Silverman, Dip.NT, BSc Psych, explains more about the challenges of cutting back on tea and coffee and shares her top recommendations for alternatives to help aid relaxation and sleep, boost gut health, ease digestive problems, and stay hydrated. 

Start the day off right with a balanced breakfast

Grabbing a piece of toast, a pastry, or a bowl of sugary cereal might feel like the quickest (and easiest) way to start the day, but having an unbalanced breakfast can disrupt your blood sugar levels, leading you to feeling irritable, experiencing mood swings, and leaving you feeling more tired and less able to handle new challenges the day might throw at you. 

Instead, consider focusing on protein found in foods like eggs and dairy, nuts and seeds, and complex carbohydrates such as those found in whole grains. Registered Nutritionist Tori Collins, dipCNM mBANT, shares four healthy breakfast ideas (with simple recipes) for busy professionals to help you get your day started out with a more healthy, energy-boosting breakfast. 

Switch highly refined carbs and ultra-processed foods for unrefined and whole foods

Highly refined carbs like pasta and white bread can have added sugar, while ultra-processed foods like prepackaged snacks, breakfast cereals and ready meals can have high levels of unhealthy fats, added sugars, salt, and additives. Ultra-processed foods can often be calorie-dense but low in essential nutrients, meaning that while you may get a temporary good feeling from that sugar fix, you are likely to not stay full for long, and may also end up feeling irritable or even anxious. 

Replacing processed foods with unrefined options like wholemeal bread, wholegrain rice, and rye. Making your own version at home for some things, like switching granola bars for homemade granola allows you to see exactly what is going into your food, and helps avoid adding ingredients that could negatively impact how you are feeling. 

MSc Functional Nutritionist, Angelika Cutuk-Short, shares her family's favourite granola recipe and explains more about the benefits of eating well. 

Give fermented foods a try

Fermented foods like kimchi are packed with probiotics (beneficial bacteria) and are high in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. A 2020 study into fermented foods, gut and mental health revealed that fermented foods may help to reduce stress and anxiety, while a 2023 study suggested that probiotic-rich foods can benefit our mental health.

Sauerkraut, yoghurt, and kefir are all fermented foods that can help to keep your gut healthy which, in turn, can help to reduce stress levels and support your mental health. Nutritional professional Evie Whitehead shares four recipes – including a tasty gut-boosting shot with kefir – to help support your gut microbiome.

Focus on stress-relieving, nutrient-dense foods that can boost your immune system

Over time, chronic stress can leave us more susceptible to infection and disease. This is because chronic stress weakens our immune system, affecting our natural defenses. It’s no surprise that fresh fruit and veg is good for us.

Ensuring you focus on foods high in vitamins B, C, and magnesium can be particularly helpful when you are feeling stressed. For these, you may want to try and incorporate more bananas, leafy greens, nuts and seeds, meat, fish and dairy to increase your vitamin B; try and have more foods rich in vitamin C such as tomatoes, leafy greens, broccoli, peppers, and oranges; and have more magnesium high foods like whole grains, Brazil nuts, beans and lentils. 

Snack smart

You don’t need to stop snacking when you’re feeling stressed; ensuring you eat healthy snacks can actually be a good way of keeping your blood sugar levels stable and helping your metabolism function smoothly. When you’re feeling particularly stressed, eating little and often can help minimise fluctuating energy levels.

Consider including dark chocolate (rich in antioxidants), nuts and seeds (rich in magnesium) such as almonds, walnuts, and pistachios, and berries (high in vitamin C and antioxidants) such as blueberries, strawberries and raspberries.

If you’re worried that what you eat may be having an impact on your stress levels – or your overall mood – making long-term, positive changes to your diet can be helpful. Working with a nutritional professional can help you to identify areas where you may be having difficulties, as well as offer tailored advice to help support your specific need and recognise areas that may be inadvertently exacerbating your stress.

To find out more about how what you eat can affect your stress levels – and how working with a nutritional professional can help – visit Nutritionist Resource.