7 Foods That Can Cause Anxiety When Eaten in Excess

When you've had a stressful day and are hastily gobbling down french fries, you understand that emotions can affect a person's appetite. But did you know that what you eat can also反过来 affect a person's mood, making you anxious, inattentive, or even on the verge of a breakdown? The answer is yes! The American magazine "Prevention" has summarized the following 7 types of food that can easily lead to anxiety and bad moods.

Coffee

When you're feeling down, drinking coffee might make you more resentful. Because caffeine has a stimulating effect on the nerves, it releases stress hormones, which can worsen anxiety and sleep disorders.

Sugar-free soda

Drinking sugar-free soda and energy drinks will bring double the anxiety. Because they not only contain caffeine but also artificial sweeteners like aspartame, which can significantly reduce the brain's happy chemical, serotonin.

Spiced beef jerky

Beef jerky

Most commercially processed beef jerky contains added MSG, and MSG can increase glutamate levels in the brain, causing anxiety and stress. In addition to beef jerky, other processed foods such as potato chips, frozen ready meals, and salad dressings should be eaten in moderation.

Creamer (coffee whitener)

Studies have shown that trans fats can affect blood flow to the brain, causing mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety. Since creamer is made from hydrogenated oil (also known as trans fatty acids), it should be consumed in moderation. In addition to creamer, foods containing trans fats also include french fries, sweet biscuits, doughnuts, and cheese sticks.

Pasta

Eating foods made from refined white flour, such as white noodles, white bread, and doughnuts, can cause a rapid spike in blood sugar, thereby ruining your mood. Researchers at Columbia University in the U.S. found that the faster a person's blood sugar rises after eating refined grains, the more likely they are to feel depressed. However, replacing them with whole grains (like brown rice) can reduce the risk of depression.

Pasta with tomato meat sauce

Tomato sauce

Sauces like salad dressing and ketchup contain high-fructose corn syrup, which can cause sharp fluctuations in blood sugar, leading to anxiety.

Alcoholic beverages

When people are in a bad mood, they tend to drink to get drunk. In fact, they become more anxious after the alcohol wears off. This is because alcohol not only inhibits the central nervous system, making you lose emotional control, but it also causes blood sugar fluctuations, leading to anxiety. At the same time, alcohol is a diuretic, which can cause dehydration, dry mouth, and impair cognitive function and attention, leading to anxiety. If you're feeling down and want to drink something, you might consider replacing alcoholic beverages like white wine with hot or iced chamomile tea. It can help you relax without harming your mental state.