Ask the Expert

Q: My best friend tells me to drink a cup of chamomile tea when I'm stressed.  Does it really help?  Do any foods (other than a pint of Ben & Jerry's) help to relieve stress?

A: Yes, it's true, certain foods can help to relieve stress. So-called "comfort foods," typically carbohydrate-rich sweets and breads, can raise serotonin levels, similar to the action of many popular antidepressants. Chocolate contains chemicals that can raise levels of opiates, or mood-satisfying components in the brain, that help us to feel better. If you are a person who can limit yourself to just a taste, then you are a lucky person. But if you tend to self-medicate with food, or think of yourself as an "emotional eater," then you might turn to these foods during troubled times.  This cycle of eating serves as a distraction or coping mechanism. Unfortunately, it's a temporary relief, and if you have overindulged, you may feel even worse.

So, the trick is to decipher emotional cravings from physical hunger. Have alternate-coping activities lined up for when you feel down, such as calling a friend, playing a game of solitaire to distract you, or heading out for a walk.  A short burst of physical activity can have the same mood-elevating effects as a piece of chocolate!

Nutritionist Barbara Ruhs, MS, RD, is a licensed registered dietitian, and owner of Neighborhood Nutrition (an education company and private-practice) in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She is also the campus nutritionist at Harvard Business School and University Health Services at Harvard University.