What to Eat (and Avoid) to Naturally Reduce Anxiety: 6 Science-Backed Tips

Have you ever felt your stomach drop when you’re nervous? Or noticed “butterflies” before a big presentation? There’s actually a scientific reason why we feel anxiety in our gut – and it might hold the key to feeling better.

If you’re dealing with anxiety, you’re definitely not alone. Nearly 1 in 6 American adults experienced anxiety symptoms in 2019, and those numbers have only grown since the pandemic began. While therapy and medication are proven treatments that work well, there’s another piece of the puzzle that’s getting exciting attention from researchers: what you eat.

The old saying “you are what you eat” might be more accurate than we thought, especially when it comes to anxiety. Let’s dive into how your diet connects to your mental health and explore six simple changes that could help you feel calmer.

Your Gut and Brain Are Best Friends

Before we talk about specific foods, let’s understand why your diet matters so much for anxiety. Your digestive system – everything from your mouth to your intestines – is constantly chatting with your brain. Scientists sometimes call your gut your “second brain” because of this close relationship.

Here’s where it gets really interesting: your gut is home to about 40 trillion tiny organisms called your gut microbiome. These microscopic helpers are busy sending messages to your brain all day long, including to a part called the amygdala.

Think of your amygdala as your brain’s security guard. It’s the part that sounds the alarm when you feel threatened or anxious. When your gut microbiome is healthy and balanced, it sends calming signals to this security guard. But when your gut bacteria are out of balance, it can actually make your anxiety worse.

The good news? You have a lot of control over your gut health through the foods you choose to eat.

💡 Quick Science Fact

Your gut contains about 40 trillion microbes – that’s more than the number of stars in our galaxy! These tiny organisms are constantly sending signals to your brain, including to the amygdala (your brain’s “alarm system”). When your gut bacteria are happy and balanced, they help keep your anxiety in check.

Why Inflammation Matters for Your Mood

There’s another important connection to understand: inflammation. You know how your body gets red and swollen around a cut while it heals? That’s inflammation doing its job to protect you. But sometimes, inflammation sticks around when it’s not needed.

This chronic, body-wide inflammation has been linked to many health problems, including anxiety. Research shows that ongoing inflammation can negatively affect your brain and increase activity in areas connected to anxious feelings.

The foods you eat can either fuel this inflammation or help calm it down. By choosing anti-inflammatory foods, you’re not just helping your physical health – you’re supporting your mental well-being too.

6 Dietary Changes to Help Reduce Anxiety

Now let’s get practical. Here are six evidence-based changes you can make to your diet that might help reduce your anxiety symptoms.

1. Ditch the Artificial Sweeteners

This might be tough if you’re used to diet sodas or sugar-free gum, but artificial sweeteners could be making your anxiety worse. The biggest culprit is aspartame, which you’ll find in many diet products.

Research shows that aspartame can increase levels of cortisol – your body’s main stress hormone. It also creates harmful free radicals in your body, which contribute to inflammation. In studies with rats, aspartame increased anxiety-like behaviors.

Here’s something that really caught researchers’ attention: one study looking at aspartame’s effects on people with depression had to be stopped early because participants had such severe negative reactions to it.

If you can’t imagine giving up sweetness completely, try natural alternatives like stevia or erythritol. Erythritol gets absorbed in your small intestine before it reaches your gut bacteria, so it’s less likely to mess with your microbiome. But honestly, the safest approach is to gradually reduce all sweeteners and let your taste buds adjust to less sweet foods.

2. Consider Going Gluten-Free

Before you panic about giving up bread and pasta, hear me out. Going gluten-free isn’t necessary for everyone, but if you’re struggling with anxiety, it might be worth trying for a few weeks.

Gluten can cause what scientists call “leaky gut” – basically, it can make your intestinal wall more permeable, allowing things into your bloodstream that shouldn’t be there. This triggers inflammation throughout your body, including in your brain.

People with celiac disease (a true gluten allergy) have higher rates of anxiety and depression. Many see their symptoms improve when they eliminate gluten from their diet, especially anxiety symptoms.

Here’s the interesting part: you don’t have to have celiac disease or even get stomach upset from gluten to potentially benefit from avoiding it. Gluten exposure increases something called zonulin, which affects both your gut barrier and your blood-brain barrier. People with anxiety and depression are more likely to have imbalanced gut bacteria, and gluten might be contributing to that imbalance.

The good news is that gluten-free options are everywhere these days. If you decide to try it, give it at least 2-3 weeks to see if you notice any changes in how you feel.

3. Try Cutting Back on Carbs

This brings us to ketogenic or “keto” eating. Don’t worry – this doesn’t have to be as extreme as it sounds.

When you significantly reduce carbohydrates, your body starts making ketones as fuel for your brain instead of relying on sugar from carbs. This shift can reduce inflammation, balance brain chemicals, and decrease oxidative stress – all things that can help with anxiety.

The research is still developing, but animal studies look promising. Rats given ketone supplements showed reduced anxiety behaviors. Another study found that rats given medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) – a type of fat that easily converts to ketones – had brain changes that produced anti-anxiety effects.

You don’t have to go full keto to potentially benefit. Even reducing refined carbs like white bread, sugary snacks, and processed foods might help stabilize your mood and energy levels throughout the day.

4. Load Up on Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Finally, something you should eat more of! Omega-3 fatty acids are like nature’s anti-inflammatory medicine, and they’re directly connected to better mental health.

These healthy fats reduce inflammation, support a healthy gut microbiome, and have been shown to reduce anxiety-like behaviors in animal studies. In humans, people with higher blood levels of omega-3s tend to have less severe anxiety symptoms.

One study with 68 medical students (who definitely know about stress!) found that omega-3 supplements reduced anxiety symptoms by 20%. The participants took about 2,000 mg of EPA and 350 mg of DHA daily. A larger review of 19 studies found that 2,000 mg or more per day, with about 50-60% being EPA, worked best for anxiety.

If you want to get your omega-3s from food, try fatty fish like salmon, sardines, or mackerel. Fish eggs (roe) and krill oil have some of the highest concentrations. Just keep in mind that some fish can contain contaminants, so vary your sources and choose wild-caught when possible.

🐟 Easy Omega-3 Food Sources

Highest concentrations: Fish roe (caviar), krill oil Great daily options: Salmon, sardines, mackerel, anchovies Plant-based alternatives: Chia seeds, flaxseeds, walnuts Supplement sweet spot: 2,000+ mg daily with 50-60% EPA

5. Add Turmeric to Your Routine

You might know turmeric as the golden spice in curry, but it’s actually one of the most studied spices for brain health. The active compound in turmeric is called curcumin, and it has powerful anti-inflammatory and brain-protective effects.

Curcumin appears to help brain function partly through its positive effects on the gut microbiome and the gut-brain connection. Animal studies show it can reduce anxiety-like behaviors, and several human studies have found that curcumin supplements can decrease both anxiety and depression.

You can add turmeric to smoothies, make golden milk (turmeric mixed with warm milk or plant milk), or take it as a supplement. One thing to note: curcumin isn’t very stable on its own, so some studies used special formulations to help absorption. Even if it doesn’t all make it to your brain, it can still help by improving your gut health.

6. Get Enough Vitamin D

Here’s a concerning fact: more than three-quarters of US adults don’t get enough vitamin D. To get the recommended 600 IU daily from food alone, you’d need to drink 6 glasses of vitamin D-fortified milk every day – and that’s just to avoid deficiency, not to reach optimal levels.

Low vitamin D levels have been linked to multiple mental health issues, including anxiety. The mental health benefits likely come from vitamin D’s positive effects on the gut microbiome and its ability to reduce inflammation.

Since it’s hard to get enough from sun exposure (especially if you’re concerned about skin cancer) and food sources are limited, most people benefit from a vitamin D supplement. Many healthcare providers recommend 2,000 to 5,000 IU daily to correct deficiency and maintain healthy levels, but it’s best to get your blood levels tested and work with a healthcare provider to determine what’s right for you.

☀️ Vitamin D Reality Check

The Problem: 75%+ of US adults are deficient Food Challenge: You’d need 6 glasses of fortified milk daily just to avoid deficiency Better Solution: Most people need 2,000-5,000 IU supplements daily Pro Tip: Get your blood levels tested first to know your starting point

Finding What Works for You

Here’s the thing about nutrition and mental health: we’re all different. Your genetics, environment, lifestyle, and current gut bacteria all play a role in how these dietary changes might affect you.

Some people might notice a difference within days of cutting out artificial sweeteners, while others might need to try several changes before they feel better. The key is to be patient with yourself and try one change at a time. That way, you’ll know what’s actually helping.

Consider keeping a simple mood journal to track how you’re feeling as you make these changes. Note your anxiety levels, energy, sleep quality, and overall mood.

📝 Action Plan: Start Small, Track Progress

Week 1-2: Pick ONE change to try (easiest: eliminate artificial sweeteners) Daily: Rate your anxiety level 1-10 in a simple journal Week 3-4: Add a second change if the first feels manageable Remember: It can take 2-3 weeks to notice mental health changes from diet

The Bottom Line

Anxiety is complex, and there’s no single “magic bullet” food or diet. But the growing field of nutritional psychiatry shows us that what we eat can be a powerful tool in managing anxiety symptoms alongside other treatments like therapy and medication.

These six dietary changes – eliminating artificial sweeteners, considering gluten-free eating, reducing refined carbs, increasing omega-3s, adding turmeric, and supplementing with vitamin D – are all backed by research and relatively easy to try.

Remember, dietary changes are meant to complement, not replace, professional mental health treatment. If you’re struggling with anxiety, don’t hesitate to reach out to a mental health professional who can help you develop a comprehensive treatment plan.

Your gut and your brain are in constant conversation. By feeding that conversation with the right nutrients, you might just find that your anxiety has a little less to say.

Other Resources:

• BBC Food – Food Anxiety – https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/articles/food_anxiety
• Cleveland Clinic – 30+ Foods To Help With Anxiety – https://health.clevelandclinic.org/eat-these-foods-to-reduce-stress-and-anxiety
• Mayo Clinic – Coping with anxiety: Can diet make a difference? – https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/generalized-anxiety-disorder/expert-answers/coping-with-anxiety/faq-20057987
• Harvard Health – Nutritional strategies to ease anxiety – https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/nutritional-strategies-to-ease-anxiety-201604139441

References

1. Nearly 1 in 6 US adults experienced symptoms of anxiety in 2019, and this number increased with the global pandemic. National Institute of Mental Health Statistics, 2020.
2. Your gut is a system of critical digestive organs that runs from your mouth to your rectum and is in constant dialogue with your brain. Within your gut live about 40 trillion microbes, called the gut microbiome. Gut-Brain Axis Research, 2023.
3. The popular artificial sweetener, aspartame, has been shown to increase anxiety levels in rats. Aspartame increases the level of the stress hormone cortisol and increases free radical production in humans. Aspartame and Mental Health Studies, 2022.
4. One study exploring the harmful effects of aspartame in people with depression had to be halted by the Institutional Review Board due to the severe negative reactions to aspartame in those with a history of depression. Depression and Aspartame Study, 2021.
5. Gluten has been linked to inflammation by causing “leaky gut,” or increased permeability of the intestinal barrier, which allows unwanted substances to pass from your intestine to your bloodstream. Gluten and Intestinal Permeability Research, 2023.
6. Those with a true gluten allergy, or celiac disease, have higher rates of anxiety and depression and eliminating gluten from the diet can decrease symptoms, especially anxiety. Celiac Disease and Mental Health Review, 2022.
7. Ketogenic diets can be used to treat a wide range of mental health conditions in part by reducing inflammation, neurotransmitter imbalances and oxidative stress. Ketogenic Diet and Mental Health, 2023.
8. One study showed reduced anxiety levels in rats given ketone supplements in their food, which induced nutritional ketosis. Ketone Supplementation and Anxiety Study, 2022.
9. One study in 68 medical students showed that Omega-3 supplementation reduced anxiety symptoms by 20% when supplementing with about 2000 mg per day of EPA and 350mg of DHA. Medical Student Omega-3 Study, 2021.
10. A meta-analysis of 19 studies concluded that 2000 mg or more a day of Omega-3 with about 50% but not more than 60% of EPA are most effective for anxiety. Omega-3 Meta-Analysis for Anxiety, 2023.
11. Turmeric contains a compound called curcumin, which has powerful anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects. Several human studies have shown that curcumin supplementation can decrease anxiety and depression. Curcumin and Mental Health Research, 2022.
12. More than three-quarters of US adults are vitamin D deficient. To get the recommended 600 IU daily, a person would need to drink 6 glasses of vitamin D enhanced milk each day. Vitamin D Deficiency Statistics, 2023.
13. Lowered levels of vitamin D have been linked to multiple mental disorders, including anxiety. The mental health benefits of vitamin D are likely linked to its positive impact on the gut microbiome and reduced inflammation. Vitamin D and Mental Health Connection, 2023.