This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Conn Coll chapter.

With midterms coming up the pressure is on and some collegiettes may be getting stressed out. Instead of turning to classic comfort food, which just perpetuates the sluggish cycle, here are some of the best foods to eat when you are stressed to get your body and your mind as healthy as possible.

Salmon: Rich in omega-3 fatty acids, a nutrient that helps temper anxiety. According to Stephen Ilardi, PhD, regular consumption of omega-3’s has been linked to reducing anxiety, anger and irritability. You can find plant based sources of omega-3s but Dr. Ilardi recommends that so long as it works for your lifestyle, fish have the specific make up of omega 3 that is considered to strongly boost our moods.

Almonds: Almonds are full of vitamins B2 and E which help keep our immune systems strong. This is especially helpful during stressful bouts where they can easily be compromised. So next time you feel stressed munch on a quarter cup of almonds a day (or switch it up with some fruit and almond butter) to keep yourself healthy for the stressful days head.

Oranges: We all know that vitamin C is important to stay healthy and we usually grab a cup of OJ when we are feeling under the weather but it is also great for when we are stressed. Oranges (and other citrus with vitamin C) are known to lower blood pressure and the stress hormone cortisol (which puts us at an increased risk of anxiety, depression, heart disease, weight gain, sleep problems and memory/concentration impairment-which doesn’t help when we are cramming for midterms!). Vitamin C also boosts our moods overall, making us a bit more positive, which is always good.

Spinach: Leafy greens may not be your first idea when it comes to what you want to eat when stressed but spinach can have a very comforting effect! Spinach is full of magnesium which is a mineral that helps regulate cortisol levels and promote the feelings of wellbeing. A single cup of spinach fulfills 40% of your daily quota. A great thing about spinach is that you can sneak it into almost any of your meals be it your eggs at breakfast, sandwich at lunch or even a handful of these leafy greens mixed into your soup at dinner-the possibilities are endless.

Green Tea: During times of stress it is easy to get caught up with everything and freak out but sipping on some green tea will calm you down quickly. Green tea contains theanine which helps you maintain clear concentration and focus-which is exactly what every collegiette needs during midterms. As an added bonus sippin on tea can also help you differentiate between actual hunger signals and emotional or dehydration eating.

These are just a few healthy foods to incorporate into your diet during stressful times. While we know a lot of these foods are good for us, we generally don’t know why or how they do what they do-but now you do! Happy eating and good luck on all the midterms we are all about to face!

Sources:

http://www.womansday.com/health-fitness/stress-management/7-foods-that-boost-every-type-of-bad-mood-110419

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stress/SR00001

http://www.mensfitness.com/nutrition/what-to-eat/eat-to-beat-stress-10-foods-that-reduce-anxiety

http://www.livestrong.com/article/212289-foods-rich-in-theanine/

http://www.webmd.com/healthy-a…

http://www.mayoclinic.com/heal…

http://ods.od.nih.gov/factshee…

http://www.webmd.com/diet/feat…

http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-…