THESE comfort foods are deliciously DANGEROUS (stop now!)

Some people turn to food during stressful times. And then others shy away from it.

Which type are you?

For the food-seekers, often, the foods are indulgent—which is why we often refer to them as comfort foods.

But according to scientists, THESE might be the WORST foods you can reach for…

High-fat, high-carb, low-health

Scientists at the University of Birmingham, in the U.K., are pinpointing the most detrimental foods you can consume during times of stress.

In fact, they say reaching for fatty foods can impair the body’s ability to recover from a stressful episode.

More specifically, researchers found that eating high-fat, high-carb foods—like a butter croissant—prior to a mentally stressful situation seems to REDUCE brain oxygenation and vascular function, while further plummeting mood.

YIKES!

The scientists stimulated a stressful activity and observed how the situation was handled after eating two butter croissants for breakfast. (This combination of fat and carbs are the true killers of health, as I often report.)

Turns out, vascular function dropped by 1.74 percent after eating the croissants.

This translates to a 13 percent higher risk in cardiovascular disease—a leading cause of death.

And this lasted up to 1.5 hours after consuming the high-fat food!

Plus, there was a 39 percent reduction in oxygen to the brain, compared to those consuming healthier foods.

Eat your way IN or OUT

When we get stressed, our body responds by increasing our heart rate and blood pressure. Our blood vessels also dilate, leading to increased blood flow to the brain.

Of course, the elasticity of our blood vessels—a measure of vascular function—declines following mental stress. Meaning your brain doesn’t get the essential oxygen and nutrients it needs to function optimally.

And given so many of us experience stress on a daily basis, it’s high time to consider the importance of what you’re consuming. Especially because high-fat, high-carb, ultra-processed foods are favorable “comfort foods” to many.

(This is yet another example of how powerful our dietary choices are to our health. We can eat our way IN or OUT of this harmful situation.)

So, the next time you know you’re going to be involved in a situation that will bring you stress, resist grabbing that muffin or fast-food indulgence…

Reach for a hard-boiled egg, some berries, and nuts—maybe even a nice salad—instead.

You might find you feel more relaxed and can cope with the stress just a little bit better after fueling your body with healthy proteins, fats, and nutrients.

Source:

“Stress and Snacks: How Fatty Foods Hinder Recovery.” Neuroscience News, 12/06/2023. (neurosciencenews.com/stress-fatty-food-diet-25321/)