Food is supposed to provide the body with all the nutrients it needs to protect itself on a daily basis from disease or stress, for example. By adopting a good diet we maintain our emotional balance and we suffer less from the hassles of everyday life:anxiety, sadness, anger... It's all a question of chemistry! On the one hand, we reduce cortisol (the stress hormone), and on the other, we provide foods that increase the production of hormones that calm us down. And if you don't have the soul of a chemist, in other words, what do you eat?
One of the keys is vitamin B! It promotes the production of serotonin, a hormone that disinhibits and relaxes... Ideal for combating daily stress. Fortunately, the 8 B vitamins (yes, there are 8 but there is a B12 vitamin… we stopped trying to understand the logic) are found in foods that we all have in our fridge, handy! These vitamins are above all in fatty fish such as cooked tuna or salmon, but also in eggs and dairy products (we did not say to eat only cheese, be careful!)
We will rejoice more than one… Chocolate is a great source of magnesium, which is used to relax the muscles. A good night's sleep being the best weapon against stress, we can afford a small square after coffee. And for those who are not big fans (it happens) don't panic, fleur de sel or sunflower seeds are also a source of magnesium.
Tryptophan is an amino acid that also facilitates sleep. But (because there is always a but) our body does not know how to make it, so it is up to us to provide it with it through the foods we eat. Tryptophan is often found in legumes such as lentils or red beans, dairy products but also in dried fruits such as cashew nuts (we now know what to eat as an aperitif).
Eating a variety of fruits regularly is the fourth key to a fit body. Fruits are very rich in vitamins, such as bananas where we find vitamin B, C, magnesium but also iron. Vitamin C also has antioxidant effects that help repair the damage stress does to our body's cells. The good news ? Fruits are low-calorie foods, since sugar is associated with fiber, its absorption is slowed down and weight gain is limited.
And yes, grandmother's methods work (most of the time)! Green tea is excellent for fighting stress thanks to theanine, an amino acid that promotes relaxation. Theanine is found in the roots but also in the leaves of the tea plant, the more the leaves are yellow, the more they contain. For maximum effect, you should also think about letting your drink infuse a little longer.
We will finally be able to eat when we are stressed... without complexing!
