Comfort eating and stress: why we resort to unhealthy eating habits when stressed

Salad or chocolate bar?

Since this dietary strategy is widespread among the population, researchers have been trying to find out whether it is possible to reduce the unhealthy high-fat and high-sugar „stress foods“can be replaced with fruit and vegetables. The results suggest that there are no stress-reducing benefits from healthy foods. ^[5] Trying to replace food with water also showed no effect. And even with the choice of sweetness there are differences, because milk chocolate performs even better than dark chocolate (>70% cocoa content) due to its higher calorie density. ^[6] So it becomes clear: If we really want to have an effect on our stress levels, there is no way around chocolate bars.

Stress eating and pain

Animal and human models have shown that the consumption of sugar- and nutrient-rich foods has a pain-relieving effect. In addition, recent research suggests that people with chronic pain.strong>„stress eating“ to better manage their pain. ^[7] The act of chewing alone can reduce stress. Chewing gum, for example, has been shown to acutely reduce anxiety, stress and salivary cortisol.^[8]

If stress eating helps reduce stress, why should I stop?

The answer to this question is crucial. Because if the consolation through food does not contribute to comfort - or in other words, the stress relief only works temporarily. works, but creates new problems in the long term – this strategy for dealing with stress may not be the right one in the long term.

But where is the hook now?

„Stress eating can have short-term, health-promoting effects and serve as an effective coping mechanism for acute stressors.“ ^[9]

However, the long-term effects of the „chocolate bar strategy“show serious consequences for our health. Since stress eating only works well with high-calorie, high-sugar and high-fat foods, it is closely linked to belly fat, overweight and metabolic syndrome. ^[10] These are known as risk factors and increase disease susceptibility and mortality.^[11][12] It is therefore a behavior that should not be permanently encouraged, but should be rewarded, e.g. a food.For example, a hefty meal with colleagues after a successful project completion, has its justification.

How can I stop permanent stress eating?

Since mental stress is omnipresent in our modern lives, measures aimed at better dealing with stress are the most important cornerstone.

„If I have less stress, I need fewer coping strategies and therefore less stress eating.

So you can start today with the realization that stress eating is an ineffective strategy for dealing with stress in the long term. Unfortunately, we are often already conditioned to use this strategy (the behavior has adapted), as there is no lack of „süßen temptations“ in our environment.

Therefore, here are a few tips on how you can change your behavior:

• More exercise and sport Sport helps to improve the distribution of energy in the body and contributes to a better supply of energy to our brain. ^[13] Important here: don't start from 0 to 100, you also have to start training slowly, because a lot doesn't help a lot.
• Intermittent fasting. A reduced energy intake, especially with regard to the frequency of meals, contributes to an improvement in the brain's energy supply. ^[14] As with sport, the same applies here: Fasting is a physical exertion and should be started slowly and practised no more than once a week at the beginning.
• Get to the bottom of the causes Stress has many facets and is often also emotionally induced. Feelings want to tell us something - even if it's sometimes not nice to have to put up with them. That is why it is important to realize that feelings such as overwhelm, stress, disappointment, anger, aggression, fear, loneliness or sadness hold a message for us that needs to be heard and not temporarily ignored by a dehydrating food.
• If stress eating, then healthy. As already described, it is unfortunately no solution for our brain to eat salad, so there is only one natural food that is endowed with health benefits and still comes into question: honey. It has a high energy density and, if it is of a certain quality (raw, not spun above 40°C), also has many health benefits.

Honey – a miracle cure of nature?

• Has antioxidants, iron, zinc, magnesium and white blood cells.szlig;e blood cells in the blood ^[15]
• Improves the wound healing ^[16]
• Helps with coughand improves sleep ^[17]
• Reduces allergic symptoms ^[18]
• Exhibits probiotic and detoxifying properties ^[19]
• Has an anti-inflammatory effect ^[20]
• Reduces anxiety, pain and has an antidepressant effect. It also has a protective effect on the brain (tested on rats) ^[21]
• Honey is currently even being investigated as a therapeutic and preventive food for diabetes ^[22]
• as a particularly effective honey, Manuka honey stands out among the different varieties. which also shows particularly good effects on the regulation of the oral and intestinal flora ^[23]

Sweet coconut bowl with fruit and honey

Conclusion:

If you are a stress eater, even small interventions in situations can help you to calm your stress system and quickly remedy hunger. For example, honey has proven its worth here. An appropriate lifestyle and diet (intermittent fasting, nutritional training) as well as long-term strategies to deal with stress better (yoga, meditation, mindfulness training) lead to success in the long term.