Stress! The nasty little 6 letter word that impacts most of our lives and has us in "sink or swim mode" 95% of the time, can be drastically reduced by the fuel you put in your body. Just think about it for a second. Reflect on some of your not "so glorious" food choices and the stimuli behind what you decide to eat and why. There is a vicious cycle attached to stress and "bad-low down rotten food." Typically when people are overwhelmed, depressed, or stressed, their first instinct is to grab something to eat, and a majority of the time, the food that is preferred is "junk" food. We tend to consume foods that are high in sugar such as sodas, candy, cake, etc. and foods that are high in carbohydrates and fats such as French fries, macaroni and cheese, fried chicken, burgers (for those meat eaters) to help us get through a rough patch in our day or lives. Why do we gravitate to these unhealthy foods? Well, in a sense we are justified for selecting those foods. Eating those bad foods makes us feel a little better for a short period of time. The extra sugar and carbs that we get from the "not-so-good" for us foods gives the body a "spike" in the hormone serotonin, thus making us feel a little happier (for the time being) and brings us that comfort we need (hence the word "comfort food"). However, after your levels of serotonin drop and your blood sugar level comes crashing down, that is when reality starts to set in. You start to mentally beat yourself up about the ½ dozen cupcakes you inhaled and now you are regretting every bite you took. Now you are feeling depressed, stressed and hungry all over again (because there was little to no protein in the "junk" that was just consumed) and the vicious cycle has a new beginning.
You now wish you would have grabbed a handful of almonds or walnuts or eaten a salad loaded with fresh veggies, nuts, and marinated tofu to get you through your "rough patch." Eating and adopting a vegetable and fruit based diet eliminates and puts an end to the inter-dependent unhealthy food relationship. Vegetable based or vegetarian diets are full of nutrients, vitamins, and are typically lower in bad fats. As a vegetarian, if you are eating a healthy, well-rounded realm of protein, fruits, plants, and vegetables, your body will no longer crave those so-called stress relieving (and in return stress induced) unhealthy foods. Just check out how easy it is to make healthier food choices:
When you Are Stressed You May Tend to Eat:
Burgers and Fries
Drink a coffee, caffeine, or sugar based beverage
A big bag of potato chips
Fried Chicken
Instead You Should Eat:
Fresh Green Salad with nuts, asparagus, dried cranberries, and balsamic vinegar dressing
Fresh squeezed Orange or Grapefruit juice or a Fruit Smoothie
A handful of nuts or Blue Corn tortillas chips with salsa and guacamole
Lightly toasted Tempeh with a peanut sauce
If you notice, all the alternatives you could substitute are grain, vegetable or fruit based. Once you start to take baby steps and adopt a new way of eating, your body will begin to crave fresh vegetables, nuts and other whole foods that are rich in supporting nutrients and enzymes that your body can use to grow stronger and keep your stress levels and chemistry in check. Vegetables, fruits, and meatless proteins are processed by your body to give it continuous and consistent levels of sugar, carbohydrates, and energy, without the "spike" or sugar rush you may experience by eating burgers and fried foods (which are loaded with hidden trans fats and sugar).
The next time you are feeling overwhelmed, don't let the food you eat add to your "stress." Instead, select foods that are going to provide your "temple" with the ammunition it needs to fight stress and end the "food stress" cycle. Opt for nourishing your mind and mood with a vegetable / plant or grain based meal or snack that will not attack your body chemistry or cause regret, but will give your body what it needs to regroup emotionally and physically.
About the Author: EJ is the host of Beyond the Garden: The vegetarian cooking experience that explores healthy but very tasty vegetarian and vegan cuisines. Ebony has been a "progressive" vegetarian for 16 years and is now on a mission to educate, inform, and entertain vegetarians / vegans and those interested in eliminating or reducing their meat intake. To participate in her online vegetarian and vegan experience visit
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