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The Gut Brain Solution: Top 10 Foods to eat & to avoid for Anxiety :

Spinach
Pumpkin seeds
Berries
Avocado
Chia and hemp seeds
Organic oats
Turmeric
Brazil nuts
Dark chocolate
Chickpeas

Microbiome

Here is some information taken from the booklet about each type of food in case the children are interested. Try to stimulate a conversation about what mean they could make using these ingredients.

Spinach and Swiss chard are rich in magnesium, which has been shown specifically to reduce anxiety. In studies involving mice, researchers have shown a relationship between magnesium and anxiety, whether these levels are depleted naturally or experimentally.

Pumpkin seeds contain both zinc and tryptophan. In a study, individuals with anxiety had lower plasma zinc levels compared with control participants. Additionally, zinc antioxidant supplementation was shown to improve anxiety symptoms. Tryptophan is the only amino acid that produces serotonin.

Berries are bursting with antioxidants and vitamin C, which have been shown to provide anxiety relief. One study found that taking vitamin C daily reduced anxiety symptoms after 14 days and that antioxidants may be useful for both the prevention and reduction of anxiety.

Avocados are rich in stress-relieving B vitamins. Supplementation of these vitamins have been linked to improved mood in some people.

Chia seeds and hemp seeds contain high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to reduce inflammation and anxiety in medical students during exams7 . Hemp seeds were also shown to reduce anxiety in postmenopausal rats.

Researchers have found that eating high fibre foods may reduce the effects of stress on our gut and behaviour. Levels of stress and anxiety-like behavior were reduced when short-chain fatty acids (produced when friendly gut bacteria ferment fibre in the colon) were fed to mice.

Turmeric contains curcumin, a compound studied for its role in preventing anxiety disorders. In one study, 20 mg/kg of curcumin produced significant anti-anxiety effects in stressed mice compared to those given a lower dose.

Brazil nuts are high in selenium — repletion of selenium to normal levels reduced anxiety scores in clinical trials. Brazil nuts are also a good source of vitamin E — some research has suggested that low levels of vitamin E may be associated with increased anxiety at adulthood.

Chocolate has been deemed beneficial for anxiety and irritability. A study of high anxiety volunteers showed that eating dark chocolate reduced stress hormone levels and relieved feelings of anxiety.

As complex carbohydrates that are abundant in tryptophan, chickpeas have been proven to be a healthier way than drugs to naturally raise serotonin levels in the brain.