Which of These Stress-Fighting Foods Are Actually Backed by Science?

The adaptogens in your latte probably aren’t calming you down

Photo: Lucy Turner/Unsplash

Have you noticed the word “adaptogen” popping up on bottles of tea, coffee, and juice? The interest in adaptogens, or stress-fighting foods, has skyrocketed in recent months.

You can now find adaptogenic lattes that include ingredients like ginseng, turmeric, horsetail plant, and lion’s mane. Nitro coffee is infused with “superfoods” like Rhodiola, chia oil, and guarana. Even some protein bars have started to incorporate potentially stress-fighting compounds like ashwagandha and maca root.

The problem is, which of these foods actually have stress-fighting power and which are just ploys?

When it comes to adaptogenic food, remember to do your research. There is an entire marketing team behind the scenes trying to lure you into buying their product, whether it works or not.

For centuries, herbalists have confidently prescribed plants thought to combat stress. These compounds range from licorice root and turmeric to nettle and reishi. Folk medicine commonly produced tinctures of these plants and herbs…