Avoid These 10 Fruits and Vegetables That Can Stress You Out  

Shocked? Not all fruits & veggies are calming. In fact, they might be making you anxious! 

Introduction:

This is what we have heard since childhood  “Eat your fruits and vegetables!” And sure, majority of them are vitamin, minerals and fiber packed. But what would you say, had I told you that some of these claimed healthy foods, are actually way of protesting discreetly in your illness and anxieties?

I did not think so myself till a few months ago. I was eating clean, exercising, drinking plenty of water, everything was correct. However, after some meals I still would feel jittery and restless. Upon further research into this, and having chatted with a nutritionist friend, I had discovered something that boggles my mind; certain fruits and vegetables can over stimulate our nervous system, overload our blood sugar, or even affect our hormones. 

Perhaps we should make it easy and examine the top 10 common fruits and vegetables which may be causing stress to sneak into your body.  

Why Do Certain Fruits and Vegetables Stress?

When we talk about stress we tend to think of external factors, at work, in the family, or have slept too little. However, there is also an important role of inner triggers, particularly, food we consume. Some plants or vegetables are able to: 

• Increase your blood sugar levels suddenly, and cause mood breakdowns.
• Result in indigestion, one of the factors that lead to anxiety tied to the gut-brain connection.
• Naturally contain chemicals such as solanines, oxalates or even histamines which may cause inflammation or even nervousness.
• Affect your hormonal balance that influences stress levels.

1.Tomatoes - Watch Your step  

Tomatoes have a nice taste particularly in curries, pasta and salads. But do you know they contain a lot of it in a compound known as solanine? It is a natural chemical that is present in nightshade vegetables, which in some individuals may cause inflammation and in severe individuals may also increase anxiety.

Trick: If bloated, foggy, anxious, after meal then you should reduce your tomato intake. Choose yellow or white that contains solanine less.   

2. Even This Superfood May be Spinach! 

Spinach contains a great deal of nutrients, but the content of oxalates in this food is rather high, which can interfere with the absorption of the calcium. Over time, low calcium may play havoc with your nerves and make you irritable.  

It is also high in histamines which could create symptoms of anxiety in histamine-sensitive humans (such as me!). 

Gem: A reasonable amount of oxalate may be found in lightly cooked spinach. Or in case you are not comfortable in consuming Palak, go ahead and switch to other green vegetables such as amaranth or fenugreek leaves. 

3. Bananas Not Always the Best Mood Boosters  

Bananas contain high potassium and are commonly recommended as energy seekers, but bananas in a ripened state are loaded with glycaemic index. That is, they may bump your blood sugar levels up and down in short order, so you end up feeling low, irritable, or jittery.

Once I consumed two ripe bananas prior to a meeting as I felt it would allow me to be more active this was a bad move. I was all of a trembly! 

Tip: Try to choose less ripe bananas or combine it with food rich in proteins such as peanut butter that will slow the absorption of sugar. 

 4. Do Potatoes Rank Among Comfort Food or Hidden Stressors? 

White potatoes can be notorious for spiking blood sugar levels quickly, especially when they contain a lot of starch, for example when they are fried or mashed. This sugar rollercoaster can send you on an unsettled or grumpy mood after consuming food.

Tip: Try sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes, which contain more fiber and have a lower glycaemic load.  

5. Peppers-Caution the Scorch 

Bell peppers or capsicum are attractive and vitamin C loaded. They however, just like tomatoes belong to the nightshade family and thus may induce inflammation to certain individuals. In particular spicy peppers can raise your heart rate as well as simulate the effects of anxiety. 

Hint: In case you are coming out red or panic after ingesting capsicum, go with less spicy vegetables such as bottle gourd or zucchini. 

6. Grapes – Mighty but Sly  

Grape are tiny sweet things. That being said, natural sugar is better than refined sugar but still causes insulin spike. Hyperglycemia is very closely associated with irritability and mood swings.

Tip: Have a normal amount of grapes & enjoy grapes with nuts/seeds to improve blood sugar. 

7. Mangoes A Summer Delight with a Catch 

Who does not love mangoes? However, they are extremely sweet in nature, which again, causes crashes in energy and irritability. Additionally, the mangoes may cause heat in the body which in turn aggravates stress in some individuals.

Note: Mango should be consumed in peak season in only a small slice per day. And drink a lot of water!  

8. Onions, The Unrecognized Accused 

Raw onions specifically so may result in problems with the digestive system, such as gas and bloating. And here is a fun fact, digestive discomfort affects our mental condition directly, particularly in case you already experience stress or anxiety in general.

Hint: Onions can be cooked well or asafoetida (hing) if you want to cut down the gases. 

9. Apple, is that so unexpected? 

Many apples have a sugar alcohol named sorbitol that produces bloating and gas in an individual. Besides, non organic apples may contain pesticide that can trigger hormonal imbalance and stress is very much related to hormones. 

Tip: Apples are very labor intensive; so a washing is strongly recommended or you can switch to organic apples. In case apples rile you, go to pears that are easy on the gut.  

10. Cabbage Gassy and Not So Classy  

Cabbage is a cruciferous vegetable that has the cleansing effect. It also causes gas formation and bloating. This may cause unease and temperament in people with sensitive digestion. 

Pro tip: Fermented cabbage such as sauerkraut is more easily digested and even good to promote healthy gut health which is important in lowering stress.   

Gut Health & Stress The Missing Link

Believe it or not, nearly 90 per cent of serotonin (the feel-good hormone) is created in your gut. It implies that your digestion is interrelated with your feelings. When a particular fruit or vegetable makes you bloated, have gas, or experience indigestion, it may unbalance your gut bacteria, and this goes directly into how you feel psychologically. 

Most of the fruits and vegetables that have been indicated as stress inducing (cabbage, onions, apples, etc.) are fermentable- that is, they form gas when they are processed. This may result in a lot of discomfort in the stomach of IBS ( Irritable Bowel Syndrome ) or someone with a sensitive stomach which will make them develop anxiety or restlessness.  

Hide Sugar = Hide Stress.

Grapes, mangoes and bananas are naturally sweet fruit. But eaten in large quantity, mainly on a empty stomach, they skyrocket your blood sugar. What goes up must come down – and the sharp fall leaves you feeling run down, roller coaster or shaky. 

That is referred to as a "sugar crash." Although the human body treats the sugar contained in fruit as a natural one, it gets processed by the body in the same manner as table sugar.  

Solution? Common fruits that contain sugar should be consumed with a healthy fat (such as nuts or yogurt) to balance sugar release. 

Sensitive to Nightshades? 

It might seem that many of the food mentioned on the list (tomatoes, bell peppers, potatoes) belong to the nightshade family. These may be safe to the majority of people but in some cases may cause inflammation because they contain substances such as solanine and lectins. It can be accompanied by the following symptoms: 

•  Joint pain
•  Brain fog
•  Dismal or worry
•  Stomach discomfort

Unless you have a reaction that is consistent, go on an elimination diet a couple weeks to see how you feel if you suspect you are sensitive to night shades. 

Bonus: Stress-Helping Foods

The following are relaxing foods that you must incorporate in your diet in case you want to minimize stress in a natural manner: 

• Ash gourd (white pumpkin) - cools the physique and the brain
• Coconut water -hydrates, as well as relaxes the nerves
• Tulsi leaves (holy basil)- balances the cortisol levels
• Pumpkin seeds - High in magnesium that is relaxing
• Buttermilk - calms the gut and enhances its gastrointestinal action 
• Chamomile or guava leaf tea is effective to decrease the levels of anxiety in natural ways 

Let's Keep It Real 

We do not mean never to eat these fruits and vegetables again. A lot of them are well-provided nutrients and are included in the Indian traditional foods. However, the context, quantity and timing is what matters.

After lunch a small portion of mango might do.

Empty stomach plus a large mango milk shake? And not the brightest thing to do when you are already stressed out. 

To Sum Up: Eating Intelligently, Remaining Cool

Of course I mean not that these fruits and vegetables are bad or that we should do away with it altogether. We all have different bodies and something that stresses me out may not even be stressful to you. All that matters is to listen to your body. 

Begin a little food-and-mood journal that you use during a week. Monitor how you feel one or two hours after consuming some of the fruits or vegetables. You may begin to see patterns and that is your clue.

Next time when you feel anxious, just don't look at your pills or your phone. Pay a better attention to the plate you put down.

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