After a long day at work, or after you have just finished a long-term project, you want to reward yourself. Some people would take a long weekend off, some people would like to go out and party all night, or some would even try massages or chiropractor services to get their stressed muscles fixed. While everyone has a different way of de-stressing, one of the most common languages of humankind is food when they want to shake out all the anxiety and stress out of their body.
However, food is sometimes a hit and miss. Sometimes, you are satisfied with what you ate, but sometimes you wake up with an upset stomach, or even worse, diarrhea after getting takeout from that one sketchy restaurant that just opened up. Sometimes, food becomes the culprit of why you feel even worse than you already did before. Hence, dieticians and nutritionists have been working hard to identify what types of food can help you reduce that anxiety and stress you may be feeling.
Yet, sometimes restricting yourself to gobble up only a particular food because of the health benefits checks out the type of euphoria that you should feel after eating a good meal. Usually, when people want to de-stress themselves after working so hard on something, they want to splurge their hard-earned money and talking about food. Some people like to sit down in a fancy restaurant and others the best gourmet food they’ve ever tasted in their life. However, despite being pricey and luxurious, some gourmet food might trigger even more emotional and physical stress because you just ordered a dish that you knew nothing about.
So, if you straddle with wanting to splurge on gourmet food and having the health benefit of reducing anxiety and stress, then this article is perfect for you. Get your wallet ready and your stomachs empty. Here’s some of the finest dishes out there that will help you reduce the anxiety and stress you’re feeling.
Dark chocolate truffles
The most basic yet luxurious gourmet food that helps you reduce stress and anxiety is a truffle, but make it dark. Eating dark chocolate daily reduces stress hormone levels, particularly cortisone, and catecholamines, which leads to a reduced feeling of anxiety in those with high anxiety levels. This is primarily because dark chocolate has a high concentration of cocoa, which has antioxidants named flavonoid, associated with these types of health benefits.
There are numerous ready-made dark chocolate truffles on the market, and their numerous gourmet chocolatiers worldwide. However, Lindt’s LINDOR Dark Chocolate Truffles and Harry and David’s Dark Chocolate Truffles are the most bought ones on the market.
Turmeric-based Dishes
Gourmet food is distinct from other types of cuisine because of the unique flavors that it offers. A lot of native spices from all around the world constitute the flavor palette of gourmet dishes. Turmeric, a commonly used spice in Indian and Southeast-Asian cooking, is one of the most widely used spices in gourmet cuisine. Turmeric contains curcumin, which is known to lower anxiety by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress that is usually the culprit of mood disorders.
Turmeric, due to its light flavor, is used in a lot of gourmet dishes. A lot of upscaled native dishes that use premium cuts of meat are great when paired with turmeric. Here are some recipes that you could try to get that perfect gourmet turmeric dish.
Fatty fish dishes
Throw some protein in that diet; fish is the ultimate luxury food given the proper preparation and recipe to elevate it. Further, fish, particularly fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines, trout, and herring), is not only a good protein base for any gourmet dish, but it also boasts a lot of health benefits! Fatty fish is rich in omega-3. This fatty acid is highly associated with reducing anxiety levels because it has two essential fatty acids. They are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which are associated with good brain function.
Fish can be easily elevated into a luxurious meal when cooked properly. When prepared well, fish has a mild and fresh taste that is a great base if you want the distinct flavors to come out. Here are some gourmet recipes you could try to have that perfect destressing fish dish.
Whole grain-based dishes
Just because most of the dishes here are healthy doesn’t mean that we leave out the carbo-loading session. Instead of ordering a pizza or burger with lots of refined fats, take a bite of whole-grain-based dishes to reduce your stress. Whole grain-based dishes are the healthy alternative to getting carbohydrates, which can temporarily increase one’s serotonin levels, ultimately giving you a mood booster.
Whole-grain is a versatile ingredient that can be used in many things, be it dessert/bread or in actual main dishes (such as puttanesca, risotto, couscous.) Whole-grain is a great brain food that amplifies your focus and concentration, leading to fewer bursts of anger and frustration.
We’ve probably worked up your appetite with this delectable list. Go out their and bust your stress with your pick!
