When you eat certain foods, the levels of serotonin—the feel-good chemical dips—and it adversely affects the regions of the brain that regulate anger.
You may have noticed that eating a healthy diet and exercising can boost your mood. In a similar vein, certain foods can deteriorate your mood— stimulating feelings of anger and irritation. In Ayurveda, it has been suggested that foods which fall into the rajasic category (fried and strong-tasting foods) are associated with anger. Let us check out some dietary offenders that can incite your temper.
Refined and processed foods like chips, pasta and cookies might instantly delight you, but the joy is short-lived. Such foods can spike your blood sugar levels, which in turn, may result in mood swings and even stimulate anger.
Drinking caffeinated beverages such as tea or coffee throughout the day can disturb your sleep. This is especially true if you are drinking caffeinated beverages close to your bedtime—it can hamper your sleep quality and make you cranky and annoyed. Savour the last cup of coffee or at least three hours before bedtime.
Foods directly impact the function of every organ in our system and in addition, control our emotions. Minimising or eliminating foods that adversely impact your liver can help tame your anger. Therefore, you should consider cutting back on greasy foods.
Potato chips and dried fruits can stimulate feelings of anxiety—due to their airy quality. Cold beverages might have the same impact by causing imbalance. By eating fewer airy foods, you can keep anxiety at bay.
Damp and cold foods can cause anxiety and brain fog—which can make you irritable and worsen your temper. On days when you feel off, avoid snacking on cold fruits like watermelon, cucumbers, and frozen salads. These foods can deplete the stored energy in your body, making you colder, deteriorating your gut health, causing brain fog and inducing anxiety.
If you constantly chew gums and consume too much artificially sweetened and flavoured candies, it could stimulate or worsen stress associated with digestive problems. Poor gut health may result in irritability and anger issues.
You would probably be surprised to learn that eggplant can trigger feelings of anger. Since this veggie is rich in acidity, it can stimulate feelings of frustration or anger. If you have observed yourself getting angry after having eggplant, you should consider curbing its consumption.
Veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels, and sprouts can lead to the formation of excess air in your system and may cause gas, discomfort, and bloating. Furthermore, these digestive issues can make you snappy.
The food we consume every day plays a critical role in not just determining the quality of our physical health—but also profoundly impacting our emotions and moods. While many foods boost our mood and spirits, others stimulate feelings of irritability and anger. Therefore, be mindful of what you have on your plate.
