When life gets stressful, many of us turn to our favorite comfort foods to help calm ourselves down. Unfortunately, this often means turning to very high calorie items that not only do a number on our waistline, but also don't really work all that well to calm us down in the first place.

Understanding the nutrients that helps calm the body during stressful times and then taking into consideration which foods are high in these particular nutrients will be the first step towards helping you maximize your food intake in order to promote feelings of calmness and well-being.

Here is what you need to know.

Strawberries

While many people enjoy this sweet fruit, it usually isn't going to be what they first turn to in times of stress or nervousness.

The primary reason why strawberries - or any fruit for that manner, will help to keep you calm is because they contain a good dose of natural fructose, which will not affect blood sugars as much as say a chocolate bar would.

This will prevent you from experiencing a drastic energy high, followed by a huge energy low.

In addition to this, strawberries, oranges, and papaya's are all a terrific source of vitamin C, which will help to protect you from colds, which often come after a stressful time is endured.

Mixed Nuts

Another good food to snack on when you're feeling anxiety is mixed nuts. These are going to supply your body with a rich source of healthy fats, as well as work to keep energy levels stable also.

Furthermore, if this mix contains walnuts, brazil nuts, and almonds, you'll be getting good amounts of B-vitamins, zinc, and vitamin E, which all also serve to fight the damage that occurs in the body due to stress overload.

Tea Sweetened With Milk and Honey

If you're feeling quite stressed, consider a warm cup of tea with milk and honey. Warm beverages naturally tend to be soothing, and the milk and honey will provide carbohydrates, which help to boost the serotonin levels in the blood.

Serotonin is also known as a ‘feel good' hormone and should help improve your overall outlook and mood.

Chocolate

If you are going to indulge in some ‘comfort foods' and are using chocolate as your treat of choice, opt for dark chocolate rather than some other form.

Dark chocolate actually does have health benefits as long as it's consumed in moderate doses.

Even better would be melting this chocolate into a glass of milk for hot chocolate, which again will have the soothing effect you might need.

As an even further benefit, the flavonoids that are in dark chocolate will help to prevent cancer and heart disease, two conditions that can be affected by a high-stress lifestyle.

So, if you're feeling stress creeping up, stop and pay attention to the foods you're eating. Not reaching for the ice cream, meatloaf, or Kraft Dinner and choosing something else instead may actually be the best course of action you could take.