Could your favourite fatty foods be damaging your brain and intensifying your stress? Stunning new study reveals!
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We’ve all heard of comfort eating—when life becomes so much that we turn to our favourite calorie-packed treats to soothe our nerves.
And while you might feel better for a short while, a landmark new study reveals that fatty comfort foods are actually making us more stressed and anxious in the long run.
Researchers from the University of Birmingham took a group of healthy adults and gave them two butter croissants for breakfast.
They then challenge them with eight minutes of mental maths, alert them when they get a wrong answer, all while seeing themselves on a display—a stressful scenario designed to simulate everyday stress.
What they discovered was staggering—consuming fatty foods before or during a stressful period was found to slow down blood flow and oxygen to the brain, potentially impacting the person’s mood and mental health.
The study found that consuming fatty foods when mentally stressed reduced vascular function by 1.74 per cent.
Rosalind Baynham, a doctoral student involved in the study, explained: ‘Previous studies have shown that just a 1 per cent reduction in vascular function leads to a 13 per cent increase in cardiovascular disease risk.’
'When we get stressed, different things happen in the body, our heart rate and blood pressure go up, our blood vessels dilate and blood flow to the brain increases.’
‘Importantly, we show that this impairment in vascular function persisted for even longer when our participants had eaten the croissants.'
Lead author Professor Jet Veldhuijzen van Zanten said: 'We looked at healthy 18-30-year-olds for this study, and to see such a significant difference in how their bodies recover from stress when they eat fatty foods is staggering.’
'For people who already have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, the impacts could be even more serious.’
'We all deal with stress all the time, but especially for those of us in high-stress jobs and at risk of cardiovascular disease, these findings should be taken seriously.’
'This research can help us make decisions that reduce risks rather than make them worse.'
However, the research isn’t all bad—the study results also revealed that healthier foods rich in polyphenols, such as cocoa, berries, grapes, apples and other fruits and vegetables, can completely prevent any impairment in vascular function.
Dr Catarina Rendeiro said: 'The impact of these foods during stressful periods cannot be understated.’
'For example, reduced oxygenation to the brain could potentially impact mood and mental health, making people even more stressed.’
'On the other hand, it could affect cognitive function and people's ability to perform the very task they are stressing about, such as an interview, an exam or a work meeting.’
'This is something we would like to do more research into in the future.’
'Our studies show that food choices around stressful episodes can exacerbate or protect from the effects of stress on our cardiovascular system.’
'The good news is that this means we can do something about this.’
'We know that when people are stressed, they tend to gravitate towards higher-fat foods, either because it is the more convenient option if time is in short supply, or as a treat to deal with the stress.’
'But by doing this, they are making their physical and psychological response to stress worse.’
'By picking low-fat foods, they could be positioning themselves to cope with the stress more effectively.'
Miss Baynham concluded: 'The world is an incredibly stressful place right now, and even without outside factors such as war or a cost-of-living crisis, stress is something we all need to deal with.’
'So, next time you are in a big meeting, or taking part in a job interview, maybe try and resist the free biscuits and go for some berries instead.’
'You might find you feel more relaxed and can cope with the stress just a little bit better.'
If you’re feeling stressed, then reach for those more nutritious options instead of your usual fatty favourites. And when it comes to someone you love, help keep them safe by reminding them of the dangers of comfort eating during stressful periods. For those of us at risk of cardiovascular diseases, this powerful new research couldn’t be more essential.
What do you think of this story? Have you been eating healthy foods to combat stress? Let us know in the comments below!
And while you might feel better for a short while, a landmark new study reveals that fatty comfort foods are actually making us more stressed and anxious in the long run.
Researchers from the University of Birmingham took a group of healthy adults and gave them two butter croissants for breakfast.
They then challenge them with eight minutes of mental maths, alert them when they get a wrong answer, all while seeing themselves on a display—a stressful scenario designed to simulate everyday stress.
In a stressful situation or a brainy challenge? You might want to avoid sweet treats and fatty foods. Image: Pexels
What they discovered was staggering—consuming fatty foods before or during a stressful period was found to slow down blood flow and oxygen to the brain, potentially impacting the person’s mood and mental health.
The study found that consuming fatty foods when mentally stressed reduced vascular function by 1.74 per cent.
Rosalind Baynham, a doctoral student involved in the study, explained: ‘Previous studies have shown that just a 1 per cent reduction in vascular function leads to a 13 per cent increase in cardiovascular disease risk.’
'When we get stressed, different things happen in the body, our heart rate and blood pressure go up, our blood vessels dilate and blood flow to the brain increases.’
‘Importantly, we show that this impairment in vascular function persisted for even longer when our participants had eaten the croissants.'
Lead author Professor Jet Veldhuijzen van Zanten said: 'We looked at healthy 18-30-year-olds for this study, and to see such a significant difference in how their bodies recover from stress when they eat fatty foods is staggering.’
'For people who already have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, the impacts could be even more serious.’
'We all deal with stress all the time, but especially for those of us in high-stress jobs and at risk of cardiovascular disease, these findings should be taken seriously.’
'This research can help us make decisions that reduce risks rather than make them worse.'
However, the research isn’t all bad—the study results also revealed that healthier foods rich in polyphenols, such as cocoa, berries, grapes, apples and other fruits and vegetables, can completely prevent any impairment in vascular function.
Dr Catarina Rendeiro said: 'The impact of these foods during stressful periods cannot be understated.’
'For example, reduced oxygenation to the brain could potentially impact mood and mental health, making people even more stressed.’
'On the other hand, it could affect cognitive function and people's ability to perform the very task they are stressing about, such as an interview, an exam or a work meeting.’
'This is something we would like to do more research into in the future.’
'Our studies show that food choices around stressful episodes can exacerbate or protect from the effects of stress on our cardiovascular system.’
'The good news is that this means we can do something about this.’
'We know that when people are stressed, they tend to gravitate towards higher-fat foods, either because it is the more convenient option if time is in short supply, or as a treat to deal with the stress.’
'But by doing this, they are making their physical and psychological response to stress worse.’
'By picking low-fat foods, they could be positioning themselves to cope with the stress more effectively.'
Miss Baynham concluded: 'The world is an incredibly stressful place right now, and even without outside factors such as war or a cost-of-living crisis, stress is something we all need to deal with.’
'So, next time you are in a big meeting, or taking part in a job interview, maybe try and resist the free biscuits and go for some berries instead.’
'You might find you feel more relaxed and can cope with the stress just a little bit better.'
If you’re feeling stressed, then reach for those more nutritious options instead of your usual fatty favourites. And when it comes to someone you love, help keep them safe by reminding them of the dangers of comfort eating during stressful periods. For those of us at risk of cardiovascular diseases, this powerful new research couldn’t be more essential.
What do you think of this story? Have you been eating healthy foods to combat stress? Let us know in the comments below!
