What Are Cortisol-Triggering Foods? Avoiding Foods That Increase Stress

When we talk about stress eating or stress weight gain, what we’re really talking about is the effects of our stress hormone, cortisol. If you’re on a weight loss journey, it’s important to understand how stress, cravings and comfort eating can impact your long term health and weight loss maintenance. Read on to understand more about the stress hormone, and cortisol-triggering foods to avoid. 

What is Cortisol? The Body's Primary Stress Hormone

Our bodies release cortisol from the adrenal glands when we experience stress. Cortisol plays important roles in the body like regulating how the body uses glucose (sugar) for energy, decreasing inflammation, regulating blood pressure and helping control our sleep-wake cycles. [3]

Why Diet Matters: The Link Between Food and Stress Hormones

There are two ways food can affect our cortisol levels. One is the types of foods that trigger cortisol release. The other is the foods we tend to crave when cortisol is high. 

Cortisol-Triggering Foods and Their Mechanisms

Sugars and Refined Carbohydrates: The Blood Sugar Rollercoaster

You’ll know from our healthy eating guide that refined sugars and processed foods like white bread, candy, soda and processed cereals can cause our blood sugar levels to spike and lead to insulin resistance over time. [10] As well as causing hunger and cravings, this increase in sugar levels in the blood tells our bodies that something is wrong, which can trigger the release of cortisol as a stress response. 

Unhealthy Fats and Fried Foods: Fueling Inflammation and Stress

We always recommend reducing the amount of processed meat, butter, lard, fried and deep-fried foods in your diet when on a weight loss journey. They are high in saturated fats and calories – which can lead to weight gain. But, they can also cause inflammation in the body which, like with blood sugar levels, can act as a stress signal that triggers the body to release cortisol to help manage the stress. [11]

Excessive Caffeine and Other Stimulants: Over-Activating the Nervous System

Don’t worry, we’re not suggesting you give up your morning coffee. But, drinking too much coffee – or too late in the day – can cause increased levels of cortisol. Caffeine is known (and loved) because it is a stimulant. It stimulates the nervous system, which along with helping us to wake up, can trigger the release of cortisol. It can also cause issues if it impacts your sleep, usually if you’re drinking coffee after 12 noon. Lack of sleep, along with higher than normal cortisol levels can cause an increase in cravings and appetite, which can lead to weight gain. [8]

Alcohol: A Deceptive Stress Reliever

Many people turn to alcoholic drinks like wine, beer or spirits to unwind after a stressful day. While it may provide short term relief in the moment, alcohol consumption can negatively impact your weight loss efforts. [9]  Not only are alcoholic drinks often high in calories, they can lead to blood sugar spikes, triggering the body to release cortisol. 

Finally, if you’ve ever overindulged when it comes to alcohol, you’ll know that it can cause some people to overeat or binge during or the day after drinking. If you do choose to drink alcohol, we recommend limiting it to 1-2 drinks per week.

The Cortisol-Driven Craving Loop: Why Stress Makes You Reach for Trigger Foods

It isn’t just the above trigger foods that can cause cortisol-related weight gain. When we’re stressed or cortisol levels are higher, it can also affect the types of food we choose to eat. Many people crave high-calorie, sugary and energy-dense foods in higher than normal volumes when under stress, which may contribute to weight gain and obesity. [1] 

Another way sustained higher cortisol levels impact weight management is that the hormone tells our body to store fat, particularly around the stomach area. [2] You can read more about how to lower stress and avoid stress eating here.

The Impact of Long-Term Cortisol Imbalance

As mentioned at the beginning of this article, cortisol plays an important role in our bodies – helping to regulate blood sugar levels, manage inflammation, regulate blood pressure and help control our sleep-wake cycles. When our cortisol levels are raised, it can affect many body processes, raising blood pressure, cholesterol, and inflammation – all of which can increase the risk of health problems like heart disease and type 2 diabetes. [7]

Practical Strategies for Avoiding Cortisol-Triggering Foods

Our healthy eating guide will help you design meals that contain all the essential nutrients your body needs – so that you don’t need to turn to convenience foods and cortisol triggering choices. There are also certain nutrients which can help lower cortisol levels including omega-3 Fatty Acids, vitamin C, magnesium and B vitamins. You’ll find the full article on stress-lowering foods here

Many people turn to scientifically backed treatments to help manage their weight, reduce their appetite and turn off persistent food noise. This medication belongs to a class of drugs called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists and includes Ozempic, Mounjaro, Compounded* Liraglutide with B12 and Wegovy.

Here at Levity, our clinical team can help you on your weight loss journey, with treatments that could help you lose up to 20% of your body weight. Start your free consultation today to see what treatment is best for you. 

*Compounded drugs are permitted to be prescribed under federal law but are not FDA-approved and do not undergo FDA review for safety, effectiveness, or quality.

References

  1. Cleveland Clinic. Cortisol: What it is, function, symptoms & levels [Internet]. Cleveland Clinic. Cleveland Clinic; 2021. Available from: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22187-cortisol 
  2. MD AEB. Ultra-processed foods? Just say no [Internet]. Harvard Health. 2024. Available from: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/ultra-processed-foods-just-say-no-202406173051 
  3.  Rethink Fats [Internet]. [cited 2024 Oct 12]. Available from: https://myplate-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/2024-06/TipSheet-8-Rethink-Fats.pdf 
  4. Lovallo WR, Whitsett TL, al’Absi M, Sung BH, Vincent AS, Wilson MF. Caffeine Stimulation of Cortisol Secretion across the Waking Hours in Relation to Caffeine Intake Levels. Psychosomatic Medicine. 2005;67(5):734–9.
  5. Badrick E, Bobak M, Britton A, Kirschbaum C, Marmot M, Kumari M. The Relationship between Alcohol Consumption and Cortisol Secretion in an Aging Cohort. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 2008 Mar 1;93(3):750–7.
  6. Epel E, Lapidus R, McEwen B, Brownell K. Stress may add bite to appetite in women: a laboratory study of stress-induced cortisol and eating behavior. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2001 Jan;26(1):37-49. doi: 10.1016/s0306-4530(00)00035-4. PMID: 11070333.
  7. Epel ES, McEwen B, Seeman T, Matthews K, Castellazzo G, Brownell KD, Bell J, Ickovics JR. Stress and body shape: stress-induced cortisol secretion is consistently greater among women with central fat. Psychosom Med. 2000 Sep-Oct;62(5):623-32. doi: 10.1097/00006842-200009000-00005. PMID: 11020091.
  8. Dakanalis A, Mentzelou M, Papadopoulou SK, Papandreou D, Spanoudaki M, Vasios GK, Pavlidou E, Mantzorou M, Giaginis C. The Association of Emotional Eating with Overweight/Obesity, Depression, Anxiety/Stress, and Dietary Patterns: A Review of the Current Clinical Evidence. Nutrients. 2023 Feb 26;15(5):1173. doi: 10.3390/nu15051173. PMID: 36904172; PMCID: PMC10005347.

Continue reading