Stop right there! These are the foods that BOOST your stress level.

The most instinctive reflex when a person is anxious is to eat, whether it's something sweet, salty, sour, or bitter. Eating is a natural and primitive response to an emotion, in this case, anxiety—characterized by feelings of fear and restlessness.

According to an article by Ana María Palomino, " The Role of Emotion in Eating Behavior ," published in the Chilean Journal of Nutrition, "Emotions play an important role in the choice, quality, and quantity of food intake," as they are complex behavioral phenomena that involve neuronal and chemical processes.

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Regarding the melting pot of emotions, the literature suggests that the negative emotions that increase food intake and alter the eating response are:

• Anger, apathy, frustration, stress, fear, grief, anxiety , restlessness, loneliness and boredom.

Very often, when you're having this kind of crisis, the person won't think, "Whoo-hoo, I'm going to gobble up some stewed beets." No, they'll eat Sabrita chips, Oreo cookies, a nice half-liter glass of Kosako . Foods that, while pleasurable, can actually increase anxiety and depression in the long run.

According to University Medical Center Phoenix dietitian Karen Hemmes, “Eating foods like processed meats, foods high in sugar, caffeine, and alcohol, which provide little nutritional value, has been associated with more psychiatric symptoms and can increase levels of cortisol, our primary stress hormone.”

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If you're experiencing anxiety, we suggest you first see a mental health specialist, but also think twice before eating foods that could affect your health.

• Alcohol
• Caffeine
• Sugary drinks and foods
• Processed foods, such as chips, cookies, frozen foods, and prepared meals
• Foods high in trans fats and excessive saturated fats, such as fried foods, red meat, full-fat dairy products, butter, and baked goods.

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AO