Sour Candy: A Puckering Pick-Me-Up for Panic Attacks

Sour candy: a puckering pick-me-up for panic attacks. Altogether, have you ever tried a sour tart and you puckered and twisted your lips because it is so sour?

Also, have you ever wondered if certain foods (including sour candy and even sweets) could possibly have other effects on the body besides making your eyes water?

So, why do sour things help with anxiety? According to Health.com, when a panic attack or bout of anxiety hits, the theory suggests that eating tart candies can distract the brain from negative emotions.

Accordingly, it zeros attention in on the sour, tingling sensation in the mouth.

Therefore, consuming sour candy to alleviate a panic attack aligns with the approach of employing the five senses for grounding – what we hear, feel, see, taste, and smell.

Does sour release serotonin? Basically, low serotonin levels are thought to contribute to depression, anxiety, mania, and other health conditions.

So yes, sour tastes can trigger the release of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that signals to the brain that a food tastes sour:

(A very technical way to put it, I hope you understand it.)

Firstly, when you eat something sour, the acid in the food triggers taste receptor cells on your taste buds.
Protons from the acid enter the cells through open ion channels and block potassium channels.
Additionally, this depolarization opens voltage-gated sodium and calcium channels, which causes serotonin to be released onto the afferent taste axon.
Type III taste buds release serotonin directly in response to sour stimuli, and indirectly in response to bitter and sweet tastes.
Lastly, nerve cells with serotonin 3 receptors then take up the serotonin.

What food calms panic attacks?

Do lollipops help with anxiety?

Sour candy: a puckering pick-me-up for panic attacks. Correspondingly, lollipops have some benefits that could help with panic attacks, including:

Stress relief. Generally, sucking on a lollipop can help you slow down and focus on the taste, which can have a calming effect. The act of moving your mouth can also improve your attention span, which can help reduce stress when you’re studying or working.
Mood enhancement. By the same token, lollipops can trigger the release of endorphins, which are chemicals that can boost your mood and make you feel pleasure.
CBD. CBD lollipops can be a discreet way to consume CBD, which may help with anxiety disorders or insomnia.

Do bananas help panic attacks?

Sour candy: a puckering pick-me-up for panic attacks. Indeed, bananas may help with panic attacks and stress because they contain compounds that can promote relaxation and improve sleep. These compounds include:

Tryptophan: An amino acid that the body converts to serotonin, a brain chemical that can help reduce anxiety and improve mood
Vitamin B9: A nutrient with antidepressant properties
Potassium: A mineral that can help calm nerves and steady heart rate

Bananas also contain B vitamins like folate and vitamin B6, which are important for producing serotonin. For an extra boost, you can try topping bananas with nut butters, which are high in magnesium and zinc, which can help your body eliminate stress.

Also, other foods that may help with anxiety include:

Turkey
Oats
Leafy greens
Legumes
Seeds
Whole grains
Foods rich in zinc, such as oysters, cashews, liver, beef, and egg yolks

Do sour candies help with nausea?

Sour candy: a puckering pick-me-up for panic attacks. Yes, sour candies can help with nausea because sour flavors can help curb it. Therefore, you can try sucking on a piece of lemon-flavored hard candy or other sour candy.

Also, citrus fruits like lemons, limes, and oranges are also high in citric acid, which can help with digestion and nausea.

Other remedies for nausea include:

Firstly, rinsing your mouth with water and lemon juice
Drinking ginger ale, ginger tea, or peppermint tea
Eating applesauce or apple juice
Lastly, eating crackers, saltines, bread, or toast

Although, you should avoid eating fatty, greasy, fried, spicy, or strongly-scented foods when you’re nauseated. You should also avoid foods that are high in sugar, like candy, cake, and rich desserts.

Can sweets help with anxiety?

Furthermore, sugary sweets can temporarily help with anxiety by reducing the body’s ability to respond to stress.

Sugar suppresses the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis in the brain, which controls the body’s stress response.

For example, a study from the University of California, they found that sugar reduced the release of cortisol, the stress hormone, in healthy female participants. This can help people feel less anxious and tense.

Hence, a small new study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism might tell us why:

Consequently, researchers at UC Davis found that eating sugar shuts down the release of the stress hormone cortisol.

In other words, sugar soothes us when we’re feeling stressed, which could be making us come back for more and more.

What drink calms anxiety?

Sour candy: a puckering pick-me-up for panic attacks. Subsequently, some drinks that may help calm anxiety include:

Chamomile tea. Henceforth, it contains flavonoids and apigenin, which may have anti-anxiety properties. Chamomile tea can also help with sleep, stomach distress, and headaches.
100% fruit juice. A 2022 study found that 100% fruit juice may be beneficial for anxiety.
Warm milk. Furthermore, it contains tryptophan, which the body converts to melatonin, a natural sleep hormone.
Smoothies. Can include nutrient-dense foods like fruits, vegetables, berries, and nuts. You can also add ashwagandha powder, which may help with stress and anxiety.
Water. Drinking enough water can reduce stress and anxiety, boost mood, and promote feelings of happiness.

Furthermore, Other drinks that may help with anxiety include: Coconut juice, Ginger juice, Green tea, Reishi, and CBD

What foods sets off panic attacks?

While triggers vary from person to person, some foods can cause or worsen panic attack symptoms. These include:

Refined carbohydrates and sugars. Generally, white flour, white bread, white rice, pasta, breakfast cereals, candy, baked goods, desserts, and pastries can cause adrenaline spikes that can trigger anxiety. Sugary drinks like soda can also worsen panic attack symptoms. (All the good stuff).
Caffeine. Obviously, caffeine can disrupt sleep and increase stress hormones, which can trigger panic attacks in some people.
Processed foods. Nonetheless, processed meats, fried foods, refined cereals, and high-fat dairy products can increase anxiety and depression. Monosodium glutamate (MSG), a flavor enhancer found in processed foods, can also cause anxiety in some people.
Other foods. Also, cheese, cured meats, and other fermented foods that contain histamine can also trigger anxiety symptoms. Artificial colors, sweeteners, and preservatives can also contribute to anxiety and panic symptoms.

In other words, just about everything can affect anxiety. Keeping a food diary can help you track patterns between eating certain foods and increased anxiety.

Moreover, a diet high in whole foods and low in processed foods can also help maintain healthy cortisol levels and keep you on a more even keel.

How can I beat my panic disorder?

Sour candy: a puckering pick-me-up for panic attacks. Overall, anxiety symptoms can make you feel unwell. Coping with anxiety can be a challenge and often requires making lifestyle changes.

There aren’t any diet changes that can cure anxiety, but watching what you eat may help.

Try these steps:

Eat a breakfast that includes some protein. In brief, eating protein at breakfast can help you feel fuller longer and help keep your blood sugar steady so that you have more energy as you start your day.
Eat complex carbohydrates. Particularly, carbohydrates are thought to increase the amount of serotonin in your brain, which has a calming effect. Eat foods rich in complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains — for example, oatmeal, quinoa, whole-grain breads and whole-grain cereals. Steer clear of foods that contain simple carbohydrates, such as sugary foods and drinks.
Drink plenty of water. Markedly, even mild dehydration can affect your mood.
Limit or avoid alcohol. The immediate effect of alcohol may be calming. But as alcohol is processed by your body, it can make you edgy. Alcohol can also interfere with sleep.
Limit or avoid caffeine. Avoid caffeinated beverages. Because they can make you feel jittery and nervous and can interfere with sleep.
Pay attention to food sensitivities. In some people, certain foods or food additives can cause unpleasant physical reactions. Occasionally, in certain people, these physical reactions may lead to shifts in mood, including irritability or anxiety.
Try to eat healthy, balanced meals. Healthy eating is important for overall physical and mental health. In any event, eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, and don’t overeat. It may also help to eat fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, on a regular basis.

Changes to your diet may make some difference to your general mood or sense of well-being, but they’re not a substitute for treatment.

Lifestyle changes, such as improving sleep habits, increasing social support, using stress-reduction techniques and getting regular exercise, also may help.

Be patient, as it may take some time before these changes have an effect on your anxiety.

Sum It All Up

Sour candy: a puckering pick-me-up for panic attacks. Well, there are a lot of foods that can help with panic attacks and anxiety, sour candy being one of them.

I never thought about it much, but it does make sense. You’re focusing on the taste of the sour candy so it distracts you from experiencing the panic attack.

Also, serotonin being released from sour candy is a big plus. You know what I’ll be doing the next time I have a panic attack.

I learned a lot today on how to curb my panic attacks, I hope you did too. I try to find ‘interesting’ (not the norm, old boring stuff) ways to help with anxiety and panic attacks.

Well, I hope you have a good the rest of the day and go out and buy some sour candy, you never know when you might need it! Until next time…