Excess of cortisol stimulates glucose production. This excess glucose is then typically converted into fat, which gets stored in the body. With cortisol, it’s stored as abdominal fat.
A diet high in added sugar and saturated fat can cause higher cortisol levels though the diet is high in fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
A balanced diet is the best way to get essential supporting nutrients of protein, Vitamin-C and B, magnesium, antioxidants, probiotics and omega-3 fatty acids that help reduce cortisol including stress, and anxiety induced by it.
Protein-rich foods: Legumes, sprouted gram,curd, fish, egg white etc.
Vitamin B12, folic acid, (vitamin B) and Vitamin C etc., can help to support the metabolism of cortisol.
B vitamins help reduce anxiety, depression, and stress, which helps to lower cortisol levels. Vitamin B-rich foods include chicken, eggs, fish, seafood, legumes, and fortified whole-grain cereals. Nuts, seeds, potatoes, leafy greens, green vegetables, avocados, mushrooms, dairy foods, and nutritional yeast are also rich in B vitamins.
Vitamin C available in citrus fruits and vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, bell pepper, gooseberry, leafy greens, cauliflower etc., are an excellent natural option to reduce Cortisol and anxiety.
Magnesium also helps to regulate cortisol levels and stress reducer too. Magnesium-rich foods are avocados, bananas, blackberries, papayas, green peas, sweet corn, spinach, and other leafy greens. Broccoli, nuts, seeds, black beans, soybeans, other legumes, potatoes, whole grains, dairy foods, and dark chocolate are also excellent sources of magnesium.
Omega 3 fatty acid is a Healthy fats found in fatty fish like salmon, chia seeds and flaxseeds — have been shown to help reduce cortisol levels.
Antioxidant rich in,
Whole grains, Carrot 🥕, beetroot, green tea ☕, cranberry, strawberry, paneer grapes 🍇, prunes , leafy greens, bell pepper- red and yellow, Apple 🍎 ,tomato 🍅, Orange 🍊, black chocolate, broccoli 🥦, cherries 🍒, kiwi fruit 🥝 etc.
Fermented foods:
You may have heard that foods made by fermentation are good for your digestive health. Probiotics in fermented food help reduce perceived stress, anxiety and depression. Curd, Butter milk, Butter, idli, dosa, appam etc contain probiotics.
Dietary fiber from beans, nuts and seeds can also help to control the cortisol levels.
Vitamin C available in citrus fruits and vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, bell pepper, gooseberry, leafy greens, cauliflower etc., are an excellent natural option to reduce Cortisol and anxietyH
Healthy Gut :
Gut should always be healthy to keep cortisol under a controlled level. Gut healthy foods are
Bananas 🍌
Dark chocolate 🍫
Spinach 🥬
Nuts – chia seeds, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, peanuts, and walnuts.
Oily fish
Avocados 🥑
Whole grain 🌾
Berry 🫐
Broccoli 🥦
Chamomile tea ☕
Legume 🫛
Salmon 🐟
Vegetables 🥕 🥒
Egg 🥚
Garlic 🧄
Olive oil 🛢️
Seeds
Kefir
Green tea is also highly beneficial for maintaining cortisol balance. Avocados 🥑 are rich in nutrients like B vitamins, vitamins C and E, and magnesium.
Meal planning :
Meal planning should include the above food source in turn, to get all the essential nutrients to keep up the Cortisol at Ideal level.
A simple way to incorporate cortisol-reducing foods into a daily meal plan is to fill half of each plate with vegetables and fruits and the other half with whole grains and healthy protein foods of any one like eggs, chicken, fish, sprouted gram, sprouted little millets- horse gram, pearl millet, ragi etc. Add healthy fats and probiotic-rich dairy foods or other foods containing probiotics.
Six foods to be avoided when cortisol is high,
*Caffeine: Caffeine can increase your cortisol levels. So limit your intake to one cup a day.
*High-sugar foods: Sweets, sugary cereals, pastries, cakes, sugar-sweetened dairy foods, and prepackaged foods containing added sugar are rich in glucose.
*Sugary beverages: Sodas, lemonade, sugary sports drinks, sweet teas, and other sugar-sweetened drinks also have more glucose.
*Refined carbohydrates like white bread, white rice, baked goods etc. are not good to take.
*Avoid alcohol
Instructions to be followed:
*Eating at regular times (smaller, more frequent meals) and avoiding skipping meals is also important. Doing so helps maintain balanced blood sugar levels and avoid unnecessary stress placed on your body.
*Not getting enough sleep can increase cortisol. so get enough sleep. …Drinking chamomile tea ,Keeping your room cool and dark, Establishing a consistent sleep schedule. Practicing good sleep hygiene can help to keep cortisol in a normal rhythm.
*Take Deep breath
*Exercise regularly, get plenty of sleep, maintain an ideal weight, and try meditation, yoga, tai chi, or other stress-relieving techniques.
*Indulge in hobbies.
