No food cures anxiety, but what you eat can be one supportive part of feeling steadier. Salmon, eggs, probiotic yogurt, chamomile tea, dark chocolate, and Brazil nuts each have early research behind them. Regular meals, enough water, and less caffeine help too. When anxiety lingers, talk therapy is the well studied next step.
Key takeaways
- Diet supports, it does not treat. Food can help your energy and focus, but an anxiety disorder is treated with care from a professional, such as counseling.
- Six foods have small but real studies behind them: salmon, eggs, probiotic yogurt, chamomile tea, dark chocolate, and Brazil nuts.
- Most of this research is early: small groups, short time frames, or links rather than proof of cause.
- Going easy on caffeine and alcohol can matter as much as anything you add.
- Talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian before you try any supplement for anxiety.
Can Food Help With Anxiety?
Food can help in a supporting role. It is not a replacement for care. The National Institute of Mental Health includes eating well in its self care advice: "Eat healthy, regular meals and stay hydrated." It adds that "A balanced diet and plenty of water can improve your energy and focus throughout the day."
That matters when you live with anxiety. Steady meals will not make anxiety disappear, but taking care of your body's basic needs gives the rest of your coping tools a better base to work from.
It also helps to be honest about the research. The studies below are promising, but most are small, short, or show a link rather than a cause. Think of these foods as good additions to a balanced plate, not as a treatment plan.
What Are the 6 Best Foods to Eat When You Have Anxiety?
1. Salmon and other fatty fish
In a 2014 study in Nutrients, 95 men in a forensic hospital were randomly assigned to eat Atlantic salmon three times a week from September to February, or to a control group. The salmon group showed lower state anxiety (how anxious a person feels in the moment) and better heart rate variability, a marker of how well the body recovers from stress. The researchers concluded that salmon "may have an impact on mental health related variables." It was one group of adult men in one setting, so the finding is encouraging rather than settled.
2. Eggs
Eggs are a rich source of choline. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements explains that your brain and nervous system need choline to regulate memory, mood, and muscle control. In the Hordaland Health Study of 5,918 adults in Norway, people with the lowest blood levels of choline were more likely to report high anxiety. That is a link found at one point in time, not proof that eggs lower anxiety. If you do not eat eggs, meat, poultry, fish, dairy, potatoes, and vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower also provide choline.
3. Probiotic yogurt
Researchers are studying the connection between the gut and the brain. In a 2013 study in Gastroenterology, healthy women who ate a fermented milk product with probiotics twice a day for four weeks showed changes in brain regions that, in the authors' words, "control central processing of emotion and sensation." The study measured brain activity in a small group of women without anxiety symptoms, so it does not show that yogurt reduces anxiety. Yogurt with live cultures is still an easy, nourishing snack.
4. Chamomile tea
Many people reach for a warm cup of chamomile when they feel tense. According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, "Some preliminary studies suggest that a chamomile dietary supplement might be helpful for generalized anxiety disorder," but research has not yet produced enough reliable evidence to rate how useful it is. The same source says chamomile is likely safe in the amounts found in teas. Skip it if you are allergic to related plants such as ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds, or daisies, and talk to your doctor first if you take medicines such as warfarin.
5. Dark chocolate
In a two week study published in the Journal of Proteome Research in 2009, adults ate a daily portion of dark chocolate. The researchers reported in a summary of their work that "Dark chocolate reduced the urinary excretion of the stress hormone cortisol and catecholamines," and that participants with a higher anxiety trait started with a different metabolic profile. That is a change in stress chemistry, not a measure of how anxious people felt. Dark chocolate also contains caffeine and sugar, so a small piece is plenty.
6. Brazil nuts
Brazil nuts are one of the richest food sources of selenium. In a 1991 study of 50 people, the lower the selenium in a person's diet, "the more reports of anxiety, depression, and tiredness," and five weeks of added selenium was linked with better mood and less anxiety. It was a small, older study. More is not better here: the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements notes that Brazil nuts contain very high amounts of selenium and that too much selenium over time can cause problems such as hair loss, brittle nails, and nausea. A few nuts now and then is enough, and selenium supplements are a question for your doctor or a registered dietitian.
What Should You Cut Back On When You Feel Anxious?
What you leave out can matter as much as what you add. The National Institute of Mental Health suggests paying attention to how caffeine and alcohol affect your mood and well being, and notes that for some people, cutting back on both helps. Its guide to generalized anxiety disorder also names reducing caffeine and getting enough sleep as habits that can help alongside standard care.
- Caffeine. Coffee, energy drinks, strong tea, and even chocolate can leave some people jittery and on edge.
- Alcohol. A drink may seem to take the edge off, so notice how you feel later that night and the next day.
- Long gaps without food. Regular meals, as the National Institute of Mental Health advises, keep your day on a steadier footing.
Is Diet Enough to Manage an Anxiety Disorder?
No. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, "GAD treatment typically involves psychotherapy, medication, or both." Psychotherapy, also called talk therapy or counseling, "can be effective when delivered in person or virtually via telehealth," and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has been well studied; the National Institute of Mental Health calls it the "gold standard" choice for psychotherapy. Questions about medication belong with your doctor or another prescribing health care provider.
Food is one of several everyday supports, along with sleep, movement, and time to unwind. If you want more tools, our guide to the science of stress and anxiety explains how the two differ, and these somatic exercises for anxiety can help calm your body in the moment.
When Should You Talk With a Counselor About Anxiety?
The National Institute of Mental Health advises seeking professional help for severe or distressing symptoms that last two weeks or more. Consider reaching out if:
- Worry or nervousness shows up most days and is hard to switch off.
- Anxiety keeps you from sleeping, working, or enjoying time with people.
- You avoid places, tasks, or conversations because they feel like too much.
- Changes to food, sleep, and routines have not been enough on their own.
Anxiety counseling can help you understand what drives your worry and practice skills to manage it. When pressure from work or life is the main driver, stress management therapy can help, and health and wellness counseling can support changes to habits like eating and sleep. Explore more articles in our Anxiety and Stress topic hub.
If you are in crisis, or you are having thoughts of harming yourself, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, any time, day or night. If you are in immediate danger, call 911.
Where Can You Find Anxiety Counseling in Northern Colorado?
Foundations Counseling offers in person counseling in Fort Collins, Loveland, and Windsor, plus online sessions anywhere in Colorado. We will match you with a counselor who fits, and your first meeting with that counselor is a free consultation. We are a private pay practice, and sessions are about 200 dollars. Most new clients can have a first appointment within about 48 hours, and our Counselor Match Guarantee helps you find the right fit.
Frequently Asked Questions
What foods are good for anxiety?
No single food treats anxiety, but some have early research behind them. Studies have looked at fatty fish such as salmon, eggs, probiotic yogurt, chamomile tea, dark chocolate, and Brazil nuts. Regular, balanced meals and enough water matter just as much, and diet works best alongside other support.
Can changing your diet cure anxiety?
No. Diet can be one supportive factor, but it does not cure an anxiety disorder. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, generalized anxiety disorder is usually treated with psychotherapy, medication, or both. Talk therapy such as cognitive behavioral therapy is well studied, and a health care provider handles any medication questions.
Does caffeine make anxiety worse?
It can for some people. The National Institute of Mental Health names reducing caffeine and getting enough sleep among the habits that can help with anxiety symptoms alongside standard care. Notice how coffee, energy drinks, tea, and chocolate affect you, and cut back if you feel more jittery or on edge.
Is chamomile tea good for anxiety?
Chamomile tea is likely safe for most people in the amounts found in teas, and early studies of chamomile supplements for generalized anxiety disorder look promising, but the evidence is still limited. Skip it if you are allergic to ragweed or daisies, and talk to your doctor first if you take medicines such as warfarin.
Should I take supplements for anxiety?
Talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian before you start any supplement for anxiety. Supplements can interact with medicines, and some nutrients, such as selenium, cause problems when you get too much. For most people, the safest place to start is a balanced diet built from regular meals.
When should I see a counselor for anxiety?
Consider reaching out if worry or nervousness lasts for weeks, keeps you from sleeping or working, or makes you avoid people and places. A counselor can help you find what drives your anxiety and build skills to manage it. If you are in crisis, call or text 988, or call 911 in an emergency.
Clinically reviewed by Chris Berger, M.A., LPC, NCC. Updated November 2026.
Ready to Feel Steadier?
Good food can support you, but you do not have to manage anxiety on your own. Our caring counselors help people across Northern Colorado understand their anxiety, ease worry, and build skills that last. We will match you with a counselor who fits, and your first meeting is a free consultation. Schedule your free consultation or call 970.227.2770.
