Fruits That Reduce Stress — 15 Fruits to Help Lower Your Tension Levels
Food is our body's natural medicines. “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food” was best said by Hippocrates. A healthy diet can prevent the body from getting many diseases; most common diseases such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, some types of cancer and skeletal conditions. Not to mention, when it comes to stress, you may be actually able to eat your way to lower tension levels. So here a list of 17 delicious fruits that reduce stress.
For a list of 10 Foods that Reduce Stress Go Here
1. Papaya
Papayas are a good source of antioxidants and provide many benefits from weight loss to cancer prevention. This fruit is high in vitamin C, one fruit provides 88 milligrams to be exact. Vitamin C is known for its immune-boosting properties and is useful in those whose immune system has been weakened due to stress.
2. Kiwi
Kiwis like papayas are high in Vitamin C but this little guy takes the cake. It has 98 mg per 100 grams, which is more than oranges and lemons. Another benefit of eating a fruit high in Vitamin C is lowered blood pressure. Just a piece of this fruit contains 80% of the daily requirement of Vitamin C.
3. Pineapple
I love pineapple!! They are so juicy and delicious. I use to sit at the kitchen counter around Thanksgiving while my mom would prepare her Ham and wait to see if there were any leftover Pineapples so I could eat them. Little did I know that there were lots of health benefits from this tropical fruit. Some of those benefits include improved digestion, arthritis treatment, better skin, more energy, disease prevention and the use for coughs and colds.
In addition to Vitamin C, Pineapples contain a good amount of Vitamin B which helps with proper brain function and increases your ability to cope with stress effectively.
4. Strawberries
One of my favorite of all the berries! There is proven evidence that these little treats protect the heart, prevent cancer, and are an excellent anti-inflammatory. Not only do they contain Vitamin C but they also contain Magnesium. Magnesium regulates the nervous system and helps you cope with stress.
5. Grapefruit
With it being one of the top sources of Vitamin C and a great way to lose weight, why wouldn’t you want to add grapefruit to your diet? Eating just a half grapefruit before meals can speed up your metabolism and help reduce belly fat and lower your cholesterol levels. Be sure to find out if you can eat this fruit if you take certain meds.
6. Cantaloupe
One of my favorite fruits to eat as a child. My dad was very good at feeding me fruits when I was young ( he does the same for my children now) he would cut the fruits for me and everything. Cantaloupe was one of my favs because it has a deliciously sweet taste.
This fruit contains other nutrients including niacin, dietary fiber, potassium, folic acid and vitamins such as vitamin C, A, and vitamin B6. The potassium in this guy is a great way to relax your blood vessels and reduce blood pressure. It also increases the flow of oxygen to the brain which helps to cause a calming sensation that relaxes you.
7. Guava
This is one of most vitamin C packed foods in the world, just one cup contains 376 milligrams which is almost a week's worth of vitamin C. Wow! It contains a lot of seed but don’t worry they are edible. They contain a lot of health benefits such as weight loss, thyroid heal, relief from constipation and diarrhea, and much more. It has the ability to lower the cholesterol in our blood which in return lowers our blood pressure. Due to the amount of magnesium present, it can relax the muscle and nerve cells relieving stress.
8. Mango
Mangos can provide you with a day worth of vitamin C in one cup. They are very juicy and contain lots of antioxidants not to mention they smell so good. They are a great source of fiber and may be able to reduce your chance of heart disease.
9. Blackcurrants
This little fruit has more antioxidants than blueberries and is normally used in jams and juices. Research from all over now shows that this fruit has proven values against dietary stress, physical stress (especially sport-related) and mental stress.
Read more: http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/health/blackcurrants-help-fight-stress-514787.html#ixzz4tfCJK8NU
10. Cranberries
This low sugar fruit is known for its health benefits which include relief from urinary tract infection, respiratory disorders, kidney stones, cancer, and heart disease. It is especially recommended that women drink cranberry juice specifically for the prevention of UTIs. It contains more antioxidants than other fruits and vegetables (One cup of cranberries offers a total 8983 antioxidant capacity) and strengthens the immune system which is helpful in relieving stress.
11. Tangerines
Besides their sweet smell, tangerines can help with negative feelings because it helps produce neurotransmitters. They are also a good source of vitamin A and C as well as iron, potassium, folate, fiber, and flavonoids. The flavonoid and antioxidants keep the heart healthy by cleaning the arteries. I prefer the sweet taste of tangerines over oranges any day. Orange you glad you picked a tangerine, Lol!
12. Blueberries
Blueberry muffins are my favorite of all the muffins. Blueberries contain plenty of antioxidants and vitamin C to help lower stress levels. Not only do you get stress relief you get a surprising amount of benefits which include; memory boost, heart health, prevention of urinary tract infections, and cancer and heart disease prevention.
Not to mention there are so many ways you can enjoy blueberries, from pies to muffins to smoothies.
13. Raspberries
Just like strawberries and blueberries, these berries contain plenty of antioxidants and vitamin C to lower your stress levels. Some of the health benefits of raspberries include: the prevention of cancer cells, reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, helping regulate blood glucose and reduce the risk of diabetes, providing protection against food-induced allergic reactions, protection against infectious bacterial diseases, and protection against viral diseases.
So grab some berries and make some jelly and get to jamming, Lol!
14. Pomegranate
Studies have shown that drinking pomegranate juice every day can lower stress levels at work. It is rich in antioxidants which can reverse atherosclerosis and vascular inflammation and in return lower blood pressure. It can also help with verbal and visual memory in the elderly who drink at least one cup per day.
15. Lemon
Lemons are not only an inexpensive fruit but they are very versatile, you can use them in juices, recipes, and cleaning products. Like all citrus fruits, they contain a lot of vitamin C and can be helpful to aid with colds but did you know that the smell of lemons has been linked to therapy?
Studies in Japan have shown that the scent of lemons (and all citrus fruits) can reduce stress. Inhaling linalool, a chemical found in citrus fruits, lavender, sweet basil, birch trees and other plants key parts of the immune system returned to normal after being exposed to a stressful situation. Which is why you find many essential oils contain linalool.
Conclusion
Fruits provide a lot of the daily required vitamins our bodies need to run at their peaks. Do you think you eat enough fruit? I know I don’t always eat as much as I should.
So what do you think about the list? Are you familiar with any of these fruits that reduce stress, and which ones are your favorites?
I would love to hear all the answers to these questions in the comments below. Please feel free to share your experiences. As always any feedback is welcome!
Originally published at stress-free-mommy.com on September 23, 2017.