10 Effective tricks to combat hunger caused by anxiety and stress

The fast pace of everyday life and the worries we accumulate with the different tasks we need to perform can be a source of stress and anxiety. Often, when we feel restless or when we begin to realize that we are anxious, we turn to food to calm ourselves down. But that’s when food becomes our worst enemy, because we start eating more calories than necessary and we often have to face another problem, guilt.

Today the awesome.club brings a list of ten pieces of advice to fight the hunger that we usually feel when we are anxious or stressed.

Incredibly, gum is very effective in reducing stress. When you start to feel restless, chew some sugarless gum to calm yourself and focus. According to a study, chewing sugar-free gum is a strategy to reduce the amount of calories we eat and increase the amount of energy we expend every day.

Teas and infusions can be great allies when it comes to tricking our brain a little. Whenever you feel anxiety and want to run to the fridge, make a relaxing tea. In addition to being calmer, you hydrate the body, eliminate toxins and manage to feel minimally satisfied. You can try balsam or basil tea for a calming effect, or red tea, which is antioxidant and helps control appetite.

Coffee and any type of drink that contains caffeine are enemies of calm and tranquility. This substance (which is usually combined with a little sugar) increases the amount of adrenaline in the body and potentiates symptoms of stress and anxiety. In this sense, the person ends up creating a vicious circle: they feel more stressed and therefore feel like eating more. So instead of having coffee for breakfast and drinking a soda for lunch, opt for a cup of tea or lemonade.

Some research claims that adding a little red pepper to your food can curb your appetite. Capsaicin (the substance that makes pepper spicy) increases the feeling of satiety and caloric expenditure, as the body spends more energy to release the heat produced by food. That is, if you are anxious, use this trick to not eat more than necessary. However, be careful not to eat pepper every day, because your body can get used to it and the effect will not be the same.

Did you know that colors have a big influence on our appetite? When we see a red or yellow package, our brain releases a series of mechanisms that make us feel more hungry. Therefore, it is recommended to remove foods with these colors from your kitchen. That way, you avoid any kind of binge when you feel anxious or stressed.

Serotonin is known as the “happiness neurotransmitter” because it regulates our mood. When serotonin levels are low, we tend to feel more stressed and emotionally unstable, which can increase cravings. It is very important that the level of this hormone is always within normal limits. For this, it is essential to consume foods rich in tryptophan (a substance that helps to level serotonin), such as pineapple, spinach, plum and avocado.

A study confirmed that some foods rich in unsaturated fats, such as avocados, olive oil and nuts, are very effective in sending a satiety signal to the brain. If you’re going through a rough patch, adding a little olive oil to the bread you eat for breakfast can help ease your anxiety for the rest of the day.

It is proven that the smell of mint helps to reduce appetite and the amount of calories consumed. You can always have peppermint essential oil on hand for times when you feel anxious. In addition to being pleasant, it helps your body not to eat more than necessary.

If you’re experiencing anxiety or stress and you start to feel uncontrollably hungry, it’s best to eat something and stop fighting the craving. Choose a healthy product, which can be a few nuts, half a banana or berries, and eliminate hunger and anxiety spikes that can be repeated throughout the day.

Sometimes, the fast pace we live in makes us eat something very quickly. Many people eat in front of the computer while working and have dinner reading messages on their cell phones. This is wrong, as the meal should be seen as a ritual. It’s important that you dedicate at least 20 to 25 minutes to it, and eat without too many distractions. That way, you give the brain the time it needs to feel satisfied, thus avoiding unnecessary calories.

Have you ever used any of these tips in your everyday life? What other tricks do you know that help you eat less? We’d love to read a little more about your experience in the comments.