When you are stressed you tend to eat unhealthy foods
The truth is that not everyone is a stress eater, but, as I said before, stress releases certain hormones, namely cortisol and adrenaline, that can increase your appetite and you will tend to eat more unhealthy foods.
Unfortunately, there are some stressed people who take refuge in food to find their peace of mind, also known as comfort eating. In general, when individuals are not in a good mood and they want to eat because they need to find comfort, they usually do not eat fruits or vegetables (that do not contain a lot of calories), but they probably prefer chips or fast food.
According to a 2007 study, individuals – but more women than men – with higher cortisol levels were more likely to eat unhealthy foods in response to stress.
“People that are stressed may use food as a comfort,” said Joel Kahn, clinical professor of medicine at Wayne State University School of Medicine. “You don’t usually munch on broccoli when you’re stressed. You’re usually grabbing for a doughnut and chips.”
Nevertheless, stress can decrease your appetite as well. Hypothalamus – which is a part of the brain – releases a stress hormone that suppresses your appetite. But if the stress persists, these stress hormones will increase your appetite and you will be more motivated to eat.
Moreover, many studies have shown that stress affects your food preferences as well. For instance, there are some emotional diseases, such as stress and anxiety, that increases the appetite for foods high in fats and sugar. The explanation is that when you are stressed, along with cortisol – a stress hormone – your insulin levels also increase. According to other research, the levels of hunger hormone – also called ‘ghrelin’ – can change when you are stressed and it can lead to excessive hunger.
So, all you have to do if you find out that you are eating more unhealthy foods because you are stressed is to exercise more, meditate, find a new hobby or talk to a specialist about your stressors.
