Stress eating, as you’re used to it, isn’t a good thing as it can lead to obesity but if you’re dealing with stress in your life there may be foods that could help you. How? No, not by numbing you so you temporarily forget your stress… the right foods could help you better cope through a stressful period. Read on for some more details about some stress busting foods:

Stress can cause food cravings.  We could crave comforts foods that we think will help us feel better.  We could crave an escape for a few minutes and food could fuel that escape by helping us focus on something else.  But most people who stress eat tend to reach for junk food rather than healthy food. When you’re upset you’re more likely to reach for a bag of chips or a carton of ice cream than for a stalk of celery, right?

Some foods could help you not only get through the stressful period but could help you because they provide many health benefits.

1. Cashew Nuts – These nuts are high in zinc (good for your sex drive, too!) and zinc deficiency is said to be a potential cause for anxiety and the blues.
2. Blueberries –  Not only are blueberries good for fighting free radicals but they also boost your problem solving abilities, too.
3. Avocado – Avocado  comes up high on a lot of lists for foods that are good for — (skin, brain power, and so on). Avocadoes can help you fight stress due to their mix of vitamins and nutrients.
4. Chocolate – Chocolate can help with stress but most people reach for the wrong sort of chocolate.  Steer clear of the candy bars in most vending machines and opt for a dark chocolate treat.  It can settle you down  and provides a bunch of antioxidants, too.

Bonus Tip:  This isn’t a food but drinking green tea could also help you. Rather than drink buckets of coffee when things are crazy, thinking you need ‘go-juice’, opt for green tea, which has a reputation for helping boost mental acuity without overdosing you on caffeine (there is caffeine so beware but not nearly as much as coffee)

So, next time the stress level is amplified in your life why not make yourself a dark leafy green salad that includes berries, nuts, and some chunks of avocado with a light raspberry vinaigrette? Then have a piece of dark chocolate for dessert and see if you’re better able to cope with your day.