Healthy Meals with Key Nutrients to Manage Stress and Anxiety
Did you know…
Good nutrition can play a helpful role during times of stress and anxiety?
During these unprecedented times, more and more people are feeling anxiety due to high-stress situations.
These 4 key nutrients are scientifically proven to help alleviate symptoms of stress and anxiety.
Magnesium
Magnesium supplements are often used as a natural treatment for anxiety because magnesium helps regulate neurotransmitters in our brain. Getting your dietary minimum of magnesium can help prevent deficiency-related anxiety from occurring in the first place.
The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of magnesium is about 420 milligrams per day for adult males and 320 milligrams per day for females.
Try this delish breakfast for a magnesium-packed meal:
Chocolate Banana Cauliflower N’Oats
This breakfast contains 175 milligrams of magnesium per serving.
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup Cauliflower Rice
3/4 cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
1 1/2 TBs Chia Seeds
1 TB Cacao Powder
2 TBs All Natural Peanut Butter (divided)
1/8 tsp Sea Salt
1/2 Banana (sliced)
1 TB Cacao Nibs
DIRECTIONS:
In a pot over medium-low heat, add the cauliflower rice, almond milk, chia seeds, cacao powder, sea salt and half of the peanut butter. Stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a low simmer and cook for 12 to 14 minutes, stirring as needed.
Add the cauliflower mixture to a bowl and top with the banana, cacao nibs and remaining peanut butter. Serve and enjoy!
Vitamin B6
Women are twice as likely as men to experience anxiety overall, but women who consume more vitamin B6 are less likely to experience anxiety. Low B6 may also increase panic attacks, so getting enough through diet is an important way to support the body during stress and reduce anxiety.
The RDA of Vitamin B6 is 1.3 milligrams per day for adults.
Try this delish dinner to boost your B6.
Garlicky Broccoli & Chickpea Pasta
This recipe contains 4.1 milligrams of vitamin B6 per serving.
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups Broccoli (finely chopped)
1 cup Chickpeas (cooked, patted dry)
1 TB Avocado Oil
1/2 tsp Sea Salt (divided)
1 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Penne
3 TBs Extra Virgin Olive Oil (divided)
2 Garlic (cloves, minced and divided)
1 TB Nutritional Yeast
1/4 cup Water
2 tsps Lemon Juice
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 400ºF (204ºC). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place broccoli and chickpeas on the baking sheet. Season with avocado oil and half of the salt. Roast for 20 minutes until broccoli is tender and chickpeas are slightly crispy. Set aside.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions.
In a large skillet over medium heat, add half of the olive oil and half of the garlic. Cook until the garlic is foamy and golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and immediately add the remaining garlic, salt, olive oil, nutritional yeast and water. Stir to combine.
Add the cooked pasta, roasted broccoli and chickpeas to the skillet and stir in the lemon juice. Toss to evenly coat the pasta. If the pasta is too dry, add an additional tablespoon of water or oil at a time until desired consistency is reached. Season with additional salt, and lemon juice, if needed.
Divide between plates and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Iron
Low iron is a known contributor to anxiety. Women are more likely to experience anxiety and are also more likely to have low iron.
The RDA of iron is 8 milligrams per day for adult males and 18 milligrams per day for adult females.
Check out this recipe high in iron:
Pea & Basil Buckwheat Risotto
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/4 cups Buckwheat Groats (soaked overnight, drained & rinsed)
3 cups Organic Vegetable Broth (divided)
2 cups Fresh Peas (or frozen, divided)
2 cups Basil Leaves (stems removed)
2 TBs Nutritional Yeast
1/2 tsp Sea Salt
DIRECTIONS:
In a pot, combine the buckwheat groats with 2/3 of the vegetable broth. Bring to a simmer and cover with a lid until soft, about 18 to 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine the remaining broth, half the peas, basil leaves, nutritional yeast and sea salt in a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
When the buckwheat is cooked, stir in the remaining peas and blender mixture. Divide into bowls or containers. Enjoy!
Fiber
Fiber is an important nutrient to reduce anxiety for two reasons.
First, it helps to balance blood sugar which helps improve anxiety symptoms.
Fiber also feeds gut bacteria to produce short-chain fatty acids which can decrease anxiety.
Women need 25 grams of fiber per day and men need 38 grams of fiber per day.
Try these recipes to boost your fiber intake.
Coconut Chia Seed Yogurt
This recipe contains 17 grams of fiber per serving.
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup Unsweetened Coconut Yogurt
1/4 cup Chia Seeds
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 cup Strawberries (chopped)
DIRECTIONS:
Combine the yogurt, chia seeds and cinnamon in a small bowl. Mix well and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes up to overnight.
Top with strawberries and enjoy!
Chickpea Flatbread Pizza
This recipe contains 11 grams of fiber per serving.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup Chickpea Flour
1 cup Water
1 1/2 TBs Avocado Oil (divided)
1/4 tsp Sea Salt
1/3 cup Tomato Sauce
1/4 tsp Oregano
1/8 tsp Garlic Powder
1/8 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
6 ozs Mozzarella Cheese (shredded)
2 TBs Basil Leaves (finely chopped)
DIRECTIONS:
In a mixing bowl whisk the chickpea flour, water, two-thirds of the oil and salt together until smooth. Let the batter sit for 1 hour at room temperature.
About 10 minutes before the batter is done resting preheat the oven to 450ºF (232ºC) and place a 10-inch cast-iron pan inside the warming oven.
Remove the pan from the oven and turn the broiler to high. Add the remaining oil to the pan and swirl to coat. Pour the batter into the pan and place it under the broiler for 5 to 7 minutes until the edges have browned and the top of the flatbread is firm. Remove from the oven.
Reduce the oven temperature to 350ºF (176ºC).
Carefully remove the chickpea flatbread from the pan and transfer to a baking sheet. Top it with tomato sauce, spices and shredded cheese. Return to the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and browned. Top with basil.
Slice and serve immediately. Enjoy!