To understand the connection between food and cortisol, it’s helpful to first understand the hormone's basic function in the body.
Cortisol, also known as the "fight or flight" hormone, is a glucocorticoid hormone produced by the adrenal glands. Alongside its primary role as a response to anxiety or stress, the “stress” hormone is responsible for many important functions in the body, including maintaining blood glucose levels, regulating metabolism, and even controlling the immune system. It also plays a critical role in the balance between digestion and absorption of nutrients, and the conversion of food into energy.
Although the stress hormone often gets a bad rap, cortisol is critical for your body's ability to adapt to stress, and without it, you won’t be able to go on with your day-to-day life. However, chronically elevated cortisol levels can have negative effects on the body, including impacting the body's ability to produce certain hormones, resulting in impaired immune function, and even accelerating aging. That’s why it’s critical to keep stress levels in check.
In this edition, we're diving into the relationship between cortisol and food, and exploring 13 cortisol-lowering, nutrient-dense foods that can help us stay calm and healthy.
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What is Cortisol and Why Should I Care?
Cortisol is a steroid hormone secreted by the adrenal glands in response to stress.
When we’re experiencing chronic stress, we often think of cortisol as the culprit that drives weight gain, but this hormone is essential for survival. Cortisol is involved in several biological processes, including responding to stress, regulating blood sugar levels, and managing immune system functioning. It is also produced in response to a wide range of physiological and psychological stimuli, including fear, pain, and lack of food.
Additionally, cortisol has many other roles in the body, such as increasing the availability of amino acids and glucose, and increasing the body's tolerance to pain. The physiology of stress and its relationship to disease is a complex subject, but cortisol plays a key role in the body's response to stress and its downstream effects on the body.
The effects of cortisol vary depending on the amount produced, the duration of its presence in the body, and the location of its actions.
What Are The Effects of Elevated Cortisol?
While low levels of cortisol are needed for proper immune and reproductive function, high levels of the stress hormone can be damaging to the body. Cortisol typically rises in the morning and then tapers off throughout the day.
However, many people are stuck in a pattern of chronically high cortisol levels. Chronically elevated levels of cortisol (e.g., in response to stress) are associated with a wide range of health consequences, including depression, insomnia, blood sugar imbalances, and elevated blood pressure. Elevated cortisol levels have also been linked to increased visceral fat, decreased bone density, and memory impairment.
What Foods Reduce Cortisol?

Wild Salmon
Salmon is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to reduce the body’s production of cortisol. Omega-3s are anti-inflammatory and help relax the muscles of the body, preventing the development of chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure. Eating a diet rich in foods like wild-caught salmon, or supplementing with products like fish oil, can help keep your cortisol in check. (Source)

Dark Chocolate
One study found that eating one average-sized dark chocolate candy bar (1.4 ounces) each day for two weeks reduced levels of the stress hormone cortisol. It also reduced the “fight-or-flight” hormones known as catecholamines. Researchers hypothesize that chocolate’s stress-reducing properties are thanks to its flavonoids, which inhibit an enzyme involved in reducing cortisone to the active form cortisol. (Source, Source)
Turmeric
Turmeric is a potent anti-inflammatory and pain reliever that has been used for thousands of years in Ayurvedic medicine to treat inflammatory conditions ranging from arthritis to allergies. The active ingredient in turmeric, curcumin, is a phytochemical that modulates the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, aka BDNF. The best way to consume turmeric is with piperine, the active compound in black pepper, as it makes the curcumin more bioavailable. (Source, Source)
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Olive Oil
Olive oil has numerous health benefits, thanks to its strong anti-inflammatory effects. Researchers believe that a phenolic compound found in olive oil called oleuropein may be responsible for reducing cortisol levels. (Source)
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is classified as a “functional food,” thanks to its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antidepressant effects. It’s rich in medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) which can quickly be converted into energy. As a result, coconut oil’s MCFAs have been shown to improve physical and mental performance, and reduce fatigue. In one study looking at the effects of the oil on exercise- and cold-induced stress, mice treated with virgin coconut oil showed increased levels of antioxidants in the brain, and lowered cortisol, triglyceride, and cholesterol levels. (Source)