Cortisol-Triggering Foods: What to Know and What to Swap

If you’ve come across cortisol on social media, you’ve probably heard it referred to as the stress hormone—and it is, but that’s not the whole story. Cortisol is actually an essential hormone that your body needs to function well. But depending on what you’re eating, you may be noshing on cortisol-triggering foods, which can upset the balance of this hormone in your body.

Cortisol is produced by your adrenal glands (small glands that sit atop each kidney), and it has a lot of jobs: It regulates blood sugar, blood pressure, fluid balance, and metabolism. It also reduces inflammation and helps your brain form memories. So you need cortisol—but you need it in balance. When your levels are too high (or too low), that’s when it can be harmful. 
Your lifestyle habits have a huge effect on cortisol levels, including what you eat. In fact, the timing, quantity, and specific foods may trigger or worsen your body’s stress response. We’ll cover all of that, plus foods that lower cortisol, smart swaps to make, and what this all means for hormonal balance. And you can start now. Grab a cup of green tea, tuck in, and keep reading.

Cortisol-Triggering Foods: What It Means

When we talk about foods that can trigger increases in cortisol, there are a few factors to pay attention to. Typically, these are foods and eating patterns that:

• may cause big swings in blood sugar 
• are stimulants—meaning they rev up your nervous system
• trigger inflammation
• interfere with quality sleep
• make you feel like you’re under-fueled 

It’s important to keep in mind that many other things also affect how your body responds to food. This includes portion size, the timing of your meals and snacks, how you pair certain common foods, and lifestyle factors like mental stress and sleep.

Foods That Raise Cortisol Levels for Many People

What you eat affects your cortisol levels, both directly and indirectly. If you want to consider your own eating habits and cortisol-triggering foods, take a look at the list below:

• eating ultra-processed foods, which include highly refined carbohydrates and sugars that raise your blood sugar, creating unhealthy spikes and crashes 
• eating large meals close to bedtime
• alcohol use, especially heavy alcohol use or binge drinking (for women, that’s four or more drinks over a 2-hour period)
• high caffeine intake (including coffee and energy drinks)
• dehydration or not drinking enough fluids
• “grazing” all day on low-protein, high-carb foods
• eating high-sodium meals
• restricting calories so that you’re undereating or being on a low-calorie diet

Be really honest about how many of these ring true for you. Once you’ve identified your habits, we can move on to what can really make a difference for you.

Build Your Plate with Foods That Lower Cortisol

Midlife is a wild, busy time of overlapping conflicts and commitments. No one needs to complicate their life with niche food rules that you “have” to follow. Fortunately, eating for balanced cortisol levels is about following the same general tenets as healthy eating.  Sometimes it just takes a little more planning. 

Build your meals this way:

• Focus on lean protein: High-quality protein sources include eggs, Greek or skyr-style yogurt, soy (like tofu or tempeh), poultry, and fish and seafood.
• Include a source of fiber: Go for a variety of vegetables, fruits, beans, legumes, nuts and seeds, and whole grains. Fiber is essential for a healthy microbiome (the colony of bacteria and other microbes that live in your gut), which plays a role in keeping cortisol in balance.
• Top it all off with healthy fats: Unsaturated fat sources like olive oil, avocado, and nuts and seeds support hormonal health, as well as help make meals more filling and satisfying.
• Add in magnesium-rich foods: Low magnesium is linked to higher levels of psychological stress, and highly processed foods tend to be low in the mineral. Eat whole-food sources of magnesium like pumpkin and chia seeds, almonds and cashews, black beans, and edamame.  
• Don’t forget antioxidants: Foods high in polyphenols, such as berries, dark chocolate, green tea, and herbs and spices, help counter inflammation. Inflammation can affect cortisol and stress. 
• Hydrate throughout the day: The best choices are water and herbal tea.

Cortisol Foods to Avoid: Smart Swaps to Make

If you see that your eating habits and food choices may be causing your cortisol levels to spike, making some small changes and food swaps can help you get to a healthier place:

Habit: You wake up and grab a caffeinated energy drink to go.

Smart swap: Take a bottled iced green tea (or brew it and ice it at home) for a natural boost of high-focus and calming energy. 

Habit: You have a sugary protein bar for breakfast.

Smart swap: Keep the protein, cut the sugar, with a couple of hard-boiled eggs and overnight oats with fruit. 

Habit: You dig into the candy stash late at night.

Smart swap: A bedtime snack like Greek yogurt with berries combines protein and fiber, which helps keep blood sugar regulated overnight. 

Habit: You can’t pass by the yummy snacks in the store aisles.

Smart swap: Rather than ultra-processed snacks that may be high in sodium, fat, and added sugar, stock up on convenience foods based on whole foods, like individual hummus or guacamole cups, precut veggies, whole-grain crackers (eat with a swipe of nut butter), and roasted chickpeas and edamame. 

Habit: You eat your largest meal at dinner—and often late in the evening.

Smart swap: If possible, move dinnertime to earlier in the evening. It’s also a good idea to make this a lighter meal; when you eat more calories earlier in the day, rather than close to bedtime, it may improve blood sugar levels.

Habit: To be alert in the afternoon, you make several coffee runs.

Smart swap: Have your last cup of coffee no later than 8 hours before bedtime. (You may need to move back this timing even earlier, depending on your sensitivity to caffeine.) Slowly cut back on your java habit—and lessen the risk of headaches from caffeine withdrawal—by going for half-caf and gradually reducing cup size.

How to Increase Stability, Not Stress

Our goal with these guidelines is not to make things more stressful on you. (Let’s not spike your cortisol thinking about all the things you need to do to avoid cortisol, right?)

Here are some easy steps that can help you avoid blood sugar imbalances:

• Eat a good source of protein at each meal, especially breakfast, where you might have a tendency to go light on the nutrient.
• Have balanced meals at regular intervals throughout the day—every 3 to 4 hours.
• After a larger meal, take a brisk 10- to 15-minute walk, which has the dual benefit of lowering stress and lowering blood sugar.
• Notice how you feel after drinking coffee. If you experience side effects, like jitteriness (a sign it’s too stimulating) or GI issues after drinking coffee on an empty stomach, try pairing it with food. This slows down how quickly your body absorbs caffeine, so it’s less apt to disrupt blood sugar and cortisol levels. 
• If you choose to drink alcohol, stick to a moderate amount (considered two drinks per week for women), and have it earlier in the evening along with food.

Hormone Issues to Consider

Depending your health and habits, plus what life stage you’re in, there are a few extra things to consider as you personalize your plan:

• If you’re in perimenopause: Keep tabs on how your body responds to alcohol (amount, timing, and type), including its effect on how you sleep, then make adjustments as needed. What you eat affects your sleep as well, so keep an eye on that, too. A good night’s snooze is so critical for a healthy stress response, and it is often disrupted during these hormonally challenging years.
• If you’re experiencing PMS: Prioritize high-fiber carbohydrates to keep your blood sugar steady, so you have more energy and focus. Eating magnesium-rich foods also has a bonus: It may help ease PMS symptoms.
• If you have PCOS or insulin resistance: Make sure you have a combination of protein and fiber at each meal and snack to help you manage blood sugar. Cut back on foods with added sugar, especially sugar-sweetened beverages.

What to Do When Cravings Hit

Cravings are normal and natural—and maybe they’re trying to tell you something. (Like, you could use the comfort of a cookie.) But if you feel like your cravings are problematic, you can take a few steps to assess what’s going on.

Ask yourself what’s up.

Are you stressed? (Hey there, cortisol.) Are you upset and in need of comfort? Do you really just need a good night’s sleep? All of those can drive cravings, and understanding why you’re looking toward food in the moment can help you uncover and address common patterns.

Choose a strategy (or two).

You can try many things when facing cravings—it’s a matter of picking a couple that resonate with you and trying them out. A few to consider:

• Notice and recognize the craving, name it, then wait for it to pass. Take a walk to distract yourself in the meantime.
• Pair the food you crave with a healthy snack that’s rich in fiber and protein. For example, mix chocolate chips with raspberries and almonds or dip a small serving of chips into hummus. 
• Have a smaller portion, like a fun-size candy bar or a chocolate-covered frozen yogurt bite instead of a large frozen yogurt bar. Whatever it is, savor it at a slower pace. And do this regularly so it feels like a habit, not a punishment.

Meal Builder: A Plate Full of Foods That Lower Cortisol

A healthy meal keeps blood sugar in balance (it won’t cause spikes!), supports good sleep and gut health, provides adequate calories, reduces inflammation, and keeps you full and satisfied. That sounds like a tall order—but in reality, following these recommendations can keep it simple:

• ½ of your plate: non-starchy vegetables, fruit
• ¼ of your plate: lean protein
• ¼ of your plate: whole grains or another fiber-rich carb (like sweet potatoes)
• Bonus add: healthy fat source like olive oil or avocado

For a beverage, choose water, seltzer with lemon or lime, or tea. Limit or avoid alcohol, if possible. (Especially if you’re working on your cortisol levels.) 

For dessert, enjoy antioxidant-rich fruit like berries, pears, apples, or fresh or dried cherries. Dark chocolate or lightly sweetened cocoa in almond milk is another nice sweet treat.

Supplements—Choose with Care and Consultation

Cortisol supplements can play a supportive role in a cortisol plan that focuses mainly on healthy eating. For example, magnesium and adaptogens can both support your body’s stress response. Before starting a supplement, get the OK from your healthcare professional. Discuss dose, timing, and how to gauge whether it’s helping you reach your goal. 

Avoid multistimulant “fat burners,” supplements that can contain caffeine and other ingredients that claim to increase your energy and metabolism and even control stress. These products usually advertise bigger promises than they deliver. 

Working with a Healthcare Professional

Think of yourself and your healthcare professional as a detective duo that’s ready to dive into your case. You want a clinician who will look at your health and lifestyle holistically (like those at Midi Health), rather than one who may be quick to dismiss your concerns or give blanket general statements like “eat healthy and exercise.” 

To make the most of your appointment, bring a 1- or 2-week log of your food, sleep, exercise, and stress. Include when you drink caffeine and alcohol. You can go over it together and talk about any patterns you notice. For example, a log might help you realize that when you drink alcohol, you feel irritable and stressed. Or on days you prep and eat food at home, you may feel more energized and focused. 

If needed, your healthcare professional might recommend lab testing to check nutrient levels or health status, such as thyroid testing. They may even walk you through how to check your cortisol levels at home.

You'll want to ask whether iron supplements or vitamins D or B12 could help with fatigue. Talk about struggles you might have, such as a tendency to follow extreme diets or a history of disordered eating. That helps your clinician make recommendations for you that are caring and compassionate. 

Your care plan should be focused on where you are in your hormonal life, whether that’s perimenopause or postmenopause. You are way more than what you eat for breakfast or dinner—the ideal clinician looks at you as a whole.

Watch for These Red Flags

Make an appointment with a healthcare provider for an evaluation if you experience:

• unintentional weight changes (weight gain or weight loss)
• persistent insomnia
• heart palpitations 
• fainting 

In addition, if you experience new or worsening anxiety, depression, or signs of disordered eating that are getting in the way of your quality of life and ability to function, talk with your healthcare professional.

Key Takeaways

• Cortisol-triggering foods often include ultra-processed foods, excess sugar, high caffeine intake, alcohol, and eating patterns that cause blood sugar spikes and crashes.
• What and when you eat matters: large late-night meals, grazing on low-protein carbs, and undereating can all raise cortisol levels.
• Building balanced meals with protein, fiber, healthy fats, and antioxidants helps steady blood sugar and lower stress-driven cortisol responses.
• Simple swaps, like pairing caffeine with food, cutting back on alcohol, and hydrating well, can reduce the impact of cortisol-triggering foods so you can still enjoy them with less impact.
• Managing cortisol isn’t about restriction, but about consistency, nourishment, and eating in a way that supports hormones, sleep, and energy.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What foods increase cortisol levels?

Refined carbohydrates, added sugars, stimulants like caffeine, and alcohol may all affect your cortisol levels. 

Can cortisol cause nausea?

Yes, it’s possible. When you’re feeling stressed, your body releases cortisol to prepare you to flee from a threat. That slows down the GI system, which can cause symptoms like nausea.

Which food is best to reduce cortisol?

There isn’t one ideal food to reduce cortisol. Eat balanced meals and snacks that contain protein and fiber, as well as fruits and vegetables to lower inflammation. 

How do you flush cortisol out of your system?

Cortisol is an essential hormone for your body’s functioning, so you don’t want to flush it out of your system. (It helps you get up in the morning!) If you have chronic stress levels, getting regular exercise and adequate sleep, as well as eating a well-balanced diet, can all help. 

Are eggs cortisol-triggering?

Unless you are allergic to eggs, there is no evidence that eggs trigger cortisol. 

Does moringa lower cortisol?

Preliminary research suggests that moringa powder supplements may help reduce cortisol in animals, but the data is not there to suggest it is effective for humans. If you’re interested in supplements for stress reduction, talk with your clinician.