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By Heide Kennedy, Arizona Farm Bureau Communications Intern

When you find yourself feeling stressed, what is your go-to to find comfort and maybe some relaxation? Is it a nap? Going shopping? Getting a coffee? Or are you one of the people who finds comfort in eating the foods that you’re craving? If you’re anything like me, it’s all of the above. Whenever I’m feeling stressed, I often find myself reaching for a not-so-healthy snack, brewing myself some espresso, and then distracting myself by shopping for clothes online. Whatever your particular method of coping with stress may be, binge eating certain foods is by far the most common. Luckily, there are ways to mitigate our stress-induced binge eating.

According to registered dietician Jess Cording, turning to high-fat and high-energy food to combat stressful emotions is a very common physiological response. But this doesn’t mean that there isn’t a way to reduce our stress-induced eating. Cording notes that instead of caving to those cravings, we should be prioritizing eating a good balance of protein, fat, and complex carbohydrates at intervals throughout the day can help to nourish us and combat our stress. With that, she provides some suggestions for good foods that meet those criteria and also provides an extra nutritional punch.

• Berries
• Foods rich in omega-3’s
• Fermented foods

So, next time that you find yourself under a lot of stress, understand that those food cravings that you might have are completely normal. With that being said, remember that it is especially important to be nourishing your body well so that it can better handle the stress.

For more health-related articles, check out the Fill Your Plate blog!