Everyone reacts differently to stress, especially in terms of food intake. While some are unable to eat anything at all during periods of great pressure, others turn first to comfort foods, often rich in sugars and fat.
A study by the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom sheds new light on how food choices can influence one’s ability to cope with stress. According to the authors, eating fatty foods before facing a stressful episode can reduce brain oxygenation and reduce vascular function.
This reduction, measured at 1.74%, may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, they caution.
Citing previous studies, the researchers note that a 1% reduction in vascular function is associated with a 13% increase in the risk of cardiovascular disease. Fatty foods may, therefore, prevent the body from responding to stress in an optimum manner.
Their study involved a group of healthy young adults who were given fatty foods – two butter croissants for breakfast – before subjecting them to an episode of stress.
This involved the performance of mental calculations, to be done at increasingly rapid rates for eight minutes, with alerts notifying them if an answer was wrong. They are also exposed to a view of themselves on a screen throughout the process.
Published in the journals Frontiers in Nutrition and Nutrients, the results show that, instead of exerting a positive action, so-called comfort foods actually altered the body’s response to daily stress.
“We deal with stress all the time, but especially for those of us in high-stress jobs and at risk of cardiovascular disease, these findings should be taken seriously. This research can help us make decisions that reduce risks rather than make them worse,” co-author Jet Veldhuijzen van Zanten explained.
“We looked at healthy 18- to 30-year-olds, and to see such a significant difference in how their bodies recover from stress when they eat fatty foods is staggering. For people who already have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, the impacts could be even more serious,” she added.
Among the key findings, the researchers observed a decrease in cerebral oxygenation in the prefrontal cortex following the consumption of fatty foods, compared to after a low-fat meal.
They also noted a negative impact on mood and a reduction in arterial elasticity, a measure of vascular function, up to 90 minutes after the end of the stress episode.
Conversely, the consumption of low-fat foods was associated with a better recovery from a stressful episode, and a return to normal vascular function 90 minutes after the end of the stressful event.
And certain foods could even help prevent this alteration in vascular function, with researchers mentioning in particular those rich in polyphenols – berries, apples, grapes, green leafy vegetables, and cocoa.
“The world is an incredibly stressful place right now, and even without outside factors such as war or the cost-of-living crisis, stress is something we all need to deal with,” first author Rosalind Baynham said.
“So, next time you are in a big meeting or taking part in a job interview, try and resist the free biscuits and go for some berries instead. You might find you feel more relaxed and can cope with the stress just a little bit better.”
