Stress is a natural part of life, and your body has a built-in system to handle it, involving the release of a crucial hormone called cortisol. Produced by your adrenal glands, cortisol helps regulate your stress response, influencing everything from your mood and motivation to blood sugar, metabolism, and inflammation.
While some level of cortisol is essential, chronically elevated levels can take a toll on your health. Persistent high cortisol is linked to issues like weight gain, fatigue, muscle weakness, and high blood sugar and blood pressure. Managing stress is key, but experts agree that a holistic approach, including dietary choices, can significantly influence cortisol levels.
“Dietary intake and stress are closely interconnected,” explains Stephani Johnson, D.C.N., R.D.N., an adjunct professor at Rutgers University. Consuming too much of certain foods—and not enough of others—can contribute to fluctuations in this stress hormone. While changing your diet alone won’t eliminate stress, making mindful food choices can support your body’s ability to manage cortisol.
Understanding which foods can help regulate cortisol and which ones might cause levels to spike is a powerful tool for supporting both mental and physical well-being.
Foods That Can Spike Cortisol Levels
If you’re aiming to keep your cortisol levels in check, dietitians point to several food categories you might want to limit or consume in moderation. Some foods can temporarily increase cortisol, while others contribute to chronic issues that keep cortisol elevated over time.
Added Sugars and Ultra-Processed Foods: This category is perhaps the most significant culprit. Foods high in added sugars (especially sugar-sweetened beverages like sodas and energy drinks) and those that are heavily processed can cause rapid spikes in blood sugar. Your body perceives these dramatic blood sugar swings as a stressor, triggering cortisol release to help stabilize glucose levels. Beyond blood sugar, these foods often contribute to inflammation and can negatively impact your gut microbiome – an imbalance of gut bacteria has also been linked to increased cortisol production. Regularly consuming diets high in added sugar, refined grains, and unhealthy fats is associated with higher baseline cortisol.
Caffeine: As a stimulant, caffeine can temporarily activate your central nervous system and prompt the adrenal glands to release cortisol. While regular caffeine drinkers may develop a tolerance that blunts this effect on baseline levels, caffeine can still cause short-term spikes, particularly when you’re already under stress or sleep-deprived. Moderating your intake, especially during stressful periods, is a good strategy.
Alcohol: Despite its reputation as a relaxant, alcohol can actually trigger your body’s stress response and affect blood sugar, potentially leading to increased cortisol production. Both occasional heavy drinking and chronic alcohol consumption are linked to elevated cortisol. Chronic high cortisol from alcohol can disrupt mood regulation and increase feelings of stress and anxiety over time.
Fried Foods and Trans Fats: Foods high in trans fats and those that are deep-fried (often also high in saturated fats and refined carbs) can contribute to inflammation in the body. Chronic inflammation is a form of stress that can activate the cortisol response. High-fat diets, particularly those rich in unhealthy fats, have also been associated with increased risk of anxiety in some studies.
Nourish for Calm: Foods That May Help Lower Cortisol
On the flip side, incorporating nutrient-dense foods can support your body’s stress response and potentially help manage cortisol levels. Certain nutrients, like omega-3 fatty acids and magnesium, may help calm the body or support cortisol regulation.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Found in fatty fish like salmon, as well as flaxseeds and chia seeds, omega-3s have powerful anti-inflammatory properties. Reducing inflammation may help lower cortisol levels.
Magnesium: This mineral plays a role in cortisol regulation and may help improve symptoms of anxiety. Good sources include avocados, bananas, and leafy greens like spinach. Many people don’t get enough magnesium in their diet.
Foods Rich in Tryptophan and Protein: Tryptophan, found in protein-rich foods like eggs, poultry, lean beef, and dairy, is a precursor to serotonin, a neurotransmitter linked to better mood and reduced stress. Consuming adequate protein also supports stable blood sugar levels, reducing the need for cortisol to regulate glucose. Animal proteins like eggs also provide vitamin B12, which may help combat fatigue-related psychological stress.
Fermented Foods and Fiber: The connection between your gut and brain (the gut-brain axis) is crucial for cortisol regulation. An imbalanced gut microbiome can actually increase cortisol production. Supporting gut health with prebiotic and probiotic-rich foods like yogurt, kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut, and high-fiber plant foods can promote a more balanced microbiome and help regulate stress responses. Fiber itself also helps stabilize blood sugar.
Holistic Approach: Beyond Diet for Cortisol Control
Remember, diet is just one piece of the puzzle. Effective stress management involves a multi-pronged approach. Experts recommend incorporating these lifestyle habits alongside dietary changes:
Prioritize Sleep: Aim for 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep per night. Insufficient sleep can significantly impair insulin sensitivity and contribute to higher cortisol levels.
Move Your Body: Regular physical activity helps combat stress and can positively impact cortisol levels. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week.
Practice Relaxation: Find ways to unwind regularly. Deep breathing exercises, meditation, yoga, spending time in nature, engaging in hobbies, and connecting with loved ones (even a hug!) can help lower cortisol levels and reduce stress.
Limit Stressful Inputs: Taking breaks from constantly consuming news and social media can reduce anxiety and stress, which in turn supports lower cortisol.
If you’re experiencing symptoms of chronically high cortisol or persistent stress that aren’t improving with lifestyle changes, it’s important to consult a healthcare provider. Sometimes, elevated cortisol can be linked to underlying medical conditions that require specific treatment.
The Bottom Line
While you can’t eliminate stress or cortisol entirely, making conscious choices about your diet is a valuable step in managing your body’s stress response. Limiting foods high in added sugars and processed ingredients, moderating caffeine and alcohol, and focusing on nutrient-dense whole foods alongside prioritizing sleep, exercise, and relaxation can make a real difference in supporting healthy cortisol levels.
Dietary supplements are products intended to supplement the diet. They are not medicines and are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure diseases. Be cautious about taking dietary supplements if you are pregnant or nursing. Also, be careful about giving supplements to a child, unless recommended by their healthcare provider. Always consult with a healthcare provider before making significant changes to your diet, exercise routine, or supplement regimen.
