Stress is a part of our everyday life today. It is the unavoidable and harsh truth of life which has weaved itself into our lives like a parasite. Blame it on your tight work schedules or your food habits, but stress is an inevitable truth of our lives today. But, there are researches suggesting that specific nutrients can help reduce your stress significantly. For instance, the intake of food rich in carbohydrates, vitamin C, selenium, proteins, Vitamin B and magnesium have a great effect on our body and relieve us from stress. Here are a few foods that are great stress relievers. Know about them to get rid of your stress without much ado.

DARK CHOCOLATE

Simply unwrap a piece small piece of dark chocolate and let it melt in your mouth! I am sure, even the thought of eating your favourite dark chocolate will bring a smile on your face. But, did you know that dark chocolate has a feel-good effect on our body. The cocoa in the dark chocolate helps in relaxing the blood vessels thus reducing the blood pressure and also increasing the circulation in the body. It is suggested that you should eat 20g of dark chocolate every day to boost your cardiovascular health.

SALMON

Are you a fish lover? Well, if you are then you are surely in for a treat. Salmon helps in reducing the stress hormones in our body. Adrenaline and cortisol are two stress developing hormones in our body. So, when you eat salmon, the omega-3 fatty acids in it offset the effects of the stress hormones, hence reliving our body from anxiety and stress.

OKRA

Rich in vitamin B and folate, Okra is a vegetable that releases dopamine, a feel good hormone, when consumed. The hormone has a relaxing effect on our brain and induces a pleasureful effect on the body thus, fighting your stress.

POTATOES

Potato is one of the most loved comfort foods. In fact, according to a study it is found that our body craves starch when we fight stress. This is called hedonic hunger. But sadly we see potatoes as an unhealthy veggie! On the contrary, potatoes have potassium, vitamin C and a number of other nutrients that altogether help in relieving stress. So, all you need to do is just sauté the potatoes and sprinkle a little herbs, spices and some cheese to free your mind from stress.

SPINACH

Remember how Popoye the Sailor man would eat a can full of spinach to get instant strength and fight all the bad guys? Well, spinach is truly one of the best veggies to fight stress. Spinach is rich in magnesium, a nutrient that aids to keep away stress. A lower amount of magnesium in the body causes tightening of muscles, problem in sleeping and also increases the blood pressure in the body.

GREEN TEA

I am sure you knew that green tea helps in detoxifying your body, and helps you stay healthy! But did you know that green tea also helps in fighting stress. But, according to a study green tea is a rich source of amino acid L-theanine which naturally fights stress by relaxes your mind without making you drowsy. In fact, having a cup of green tea will rightly give you the same effect of coffee but not causing any harm to your body.

ORANGES

Oranges are a good way to distract your mind from stress. In fact all citrus fruits are natural sources of myo-inositol which is a natural source of vitamin B that affects our brain and its related nervous system. Myo-inositol is a hormone that leads to positive mood and boosts emotional health in a person.