3 Common Food Ingredients that Cause Stress

Have you ever gotten butterflies in your stomach before a big work presentation?  

Or, how about stomach pains when something in life doesn’t go as planned?  

It’s not uncommon for people to feel the effects of stress in their gut. But, why does this happen?  

Believe it or not, your gut and your brain are linked together via neural networks. This connection within your central nervous system (via the gut-brain access) gives your intestines control over how your body processes chemicals.  

This is important to understand because what we eat--how we fuel our gut system--does have the ability to impact our emotions and cause us unnecessary stress.  

The good news…  

If you learn to avoid certain ingredients, you can naturally protect your gut system against over-producing stress hormones.  

What do you need to avoid and why? Here are three things that we recommend you limit in your diet…  

Item #1 - Sugar

When you’re stressed, your body releases a hormone called cortisol.  

This hormone has two jobs…  

Job 1 is to trigger your body’s fight or flight response--a natural bodily instinct that has kept us safe from the dawn of time. It’s this rush of chemicals that cause stress, alerting us that something is wrong and we should be alert and aware.  

Job 2 of the cortisol hormone is to help us manage blood sugar levels. When your sugar levels spike, cortisol is released to keep your sugar levels in check.  

If you consume a lot of sugar, your body will naturally produce more cortisol.  

See where this is a problem?  

Eventually, an excess amount of cortisol will prevent you from feeling calm and relaxed and instead trigger unnecessary stress.  

The solution: cut as much sugar out of your diet as possible.  

If you’re in need of a sweet treat, opt for natural sugars in things like fruit.  

Item #2 - Caffeine

There’s nothing wrong with having your morning cup of coffee. But, if you’re someone who drinks several morning cups of coffee, afternoon coffee, evening coffee, etc., your body is going to suffer because of it.  

Not a coffee drinker, but consume foods/beverages (like energy drinks) that have high levels of caffeine? We hate to tell you, but you’re in the same boat.  

While caffeine might be helpful in providing you with a little extra energy during your day, it’s also a powerful stimulant that affects your nervous system when digested.  

The effects of caffeine on the body often include…  

• A rise in blood pressure.
• A rise in heart rate.
• Increase feelings of anxiety.

The only way to prevent caffeine from triggering anxiety is, you guessed it, cutting back on your caffeine intake.  

Can’t fathom the idea of parting with your morning cup of joe? Try out our delicious, organic, and caffeine free coffee blend.  

Item #3 - White Flour

We know what you’re thinking…  

How can flour--a simple baking ingredient--cause me stress?  

Easy. It’s a high-glycemic index food that fuels the production of advanced glycation.  

When production is increased, it causes inflammation in the gut. And when your gut isn’t functioning properly due to inflammation, your nervous system will have a harder time regulating emotions such as stress.  

Thankfully, there are many varieties of flours on the market and making a switch to a gluten-free whole wheat flour product may help you naturally reduce your stress levels in the long run.  

All in all, it’s always good to remember that what you eat directly impacts both your physical and mental health.  

The path to a less stressed out life often begins with making small lifestyle changes.  

For natural and organic food and ingredient options, we invite you to check out our online grocery store.