Top 5 Foods That Cause Anxiety

Let’s look at a topic that has come to the spotlight for so many people because it no longer has to be a secret. Do you suffer from chronic anxiety? If yes, I feel you because I had chronic anxiety for years. Everyone gets anxious some of the time; however, too much anxiety leads to stress and inflammation. That being said, stress is one of the most preventable causes of illness, doctor visits, and trips to the emergency room. If you’d like to reduce the number of those doctor visits, try avoiding the following 5 foods that cause anxiety.

1 – Caffeine—SO OVERLOOKED!

People in the United States spend $4 billion every year on coffee, and more than 400 billion cups of coffee are swallowed every year around the world. That’s a lot of beans.! While a small cup of coffee without additives like sugar and cream might not spike your anxiety level, too much coffee certainly can.

As you probably know, caffeine is not only found in coffee. Some teas, energy drinks, chocolate, and ice cream contain surprising levels of caffeine. Protein bars, decaffeinated coffee (yes, even decaf coffee), yogurt, and some fancy waters are other caffeine carriers you may not have thought of.

2 – Refined Sugar

Refined sugar is the white sugar you may have sitting in your pantry right now. Most people eat way too much sugar, sometimes without knowing it. How can we not know we’re eating too much of the sweet stuff? Oh, just a little bit of deception on the part of food manufacturers who hide sugar by calling it barley malt, high fructose corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, and other sneaky names.

You’ve probably heard that too much sugar leads to a greater risk of developing obesity, diabetes, and heart disease; but did you know that it also spikes your anxiety levels? Have you ever noticed you feel jittery after eating something super sugary?

If you’re wondering how much sugar is safe to eat, the American Heart Association recommends men eat no more than 9 teaspoons of sugar each day, and women no more than 6 teaspoons. This includes sugar that is already in the food you eat, as well as sugar you add to your meals and beverages. Be careful with what you choose to indulge in, as a single 12 ounce can of Coke is packed with 30 teaspoons of sugar (ouch!).

Top 5 Foods That Cause Anxiety holistic doctor mama

3 – Cut Back on the Alcohol

I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking what so many folks think, that a couple of beers or glasses of wine at the end of a tough day actually helps you to relax.

Maybe not though. For some people, a single alcoholic beverage can spike anxiety levels AND increase the production of stress related hormones. I’m here to report that alcohol in excess almost always elevates anxiety. In addition, you can also expect an elevated heart rate, unhealthy blood sugar levels, dehydration, and other negative health impacts when you drink too much alcohol.

4 – Dairy Products

Whether you drink a lot of dairy milk and eat a lot of cheese or not, there is something you need to know: many people experience anxiety within just a few minutes of consuming any dairy product. Additionally, 1 out of 10 adults is lactose intolerant.

Humans are one of the very few animals that drink the mother’s milk of another animal after infancy! Aside from not making sense, drinking dairy milk spikes inflammation, causing you to lose calcium, and tears your digestive system apart. On so many levels, your body stresses out and becomes anxious if you regularly consume dairy products.

5 – Highly Processed Foods

As much as 75% of all the food at your favorite grocery store is highly processed. I must say, that is both scary and depressing. Processed food is full of refined sugar, white flour, extremely high salt levels, and other ingredients that disrupt healthy hormone levels. This leads to anxiety and stress, as well as other physical and mental health problems.

Here’s a tip while shopping: to avoid buying processed foods, shop the exterior of your grocery store. The middle aisles are where most of the sneaky, highly processed foods are contained. Find a local co-op or grocery store with a bulk foods section so you can avoid hidden and harmful ingredients.

To further avoid processed foods, cut back on the number of times you eat out. Start preparing your own healthy meals at homes, full of wholesome foods you can pronounce.

Have you noticed if any of the above 5 foods I covered cause you anxiety? If you’re not sure, I recommend keeping a food diary where you record what you eat and how you feel after consuming meals or snacks. You can gain a lot of information simply by listening to how your body reacts after you eat, and then use that to make better choices to support cutting anxiety out of your life.

Here’s a bonus tip for you: click here to learn my FREE 60 Second Stress Buster Meditation technique. It’s a guaranteed way to help keep your anxiety in check, so you can feel more in balance with your life. I know it will benefit you, so give it a try and let me know what you think!

Wishing you Well,

Dr. Jessica