Drinking This Beverage Could Be Increasing Your Anxiety, Study Finds

Coffee can get a bad rap for causing nervousness and jitters, but a new study finds that another popular drink may be much more anxiety-inducing. Here's what to know about how soft drinks may trigger anxiety symptoms and how to adjust your beverage lineup accordingly. 

Because this study was done on a smaller subgroup of individuals with specific BMIs and preexisting depressive symptoms, the finding isn't necessarily representative of the general population. But that doesn't mean it's not important or relevant. This study reinforces the idea that what we eat and drink has a major impact on our mental health, and it serves as another piece of the puzzle of how nutrition and mood disorders may be connected. As anxiety continues to surge worldwide, the more information we have on mitigating it naturally, the better.

Limiting soda (and artificial sugar, in general, for that matter) isn't easy, but it may help ease symptoms of anxiety and depression, according to this new research. Here are some other beverage options to consider if you want to spice up your daily water intake with a flavorful feature: 

Just note that diet sodas sweetened with alternatives like aspartame don't make the list. As nutritional psychiatrist Uma Naidoo, M.D., recently shared with mindbodygreen: "Aspartame has been shown to inhibit neurotransmitter function4—that is, the action of the chemical compounds in our brain that govern mood—and induce feelings of depression and anxiety over time. In addition, recent research5 suggests that exposure to aspartame 'produces changes in the expression of genes regulating excitation-inhibition balance in the amygdala, a brain region that regulates anxiety and fear.'"

A new study found that soft drinks increased anxiety more than coffee or tea in adults with a BMI between 25 and 40 kg/m2. While these results can't be applied directly to everyone without further testing, this study does add to a larger pool of research suggesting that soft drinks aren't the healthiest option out there for mental health. Looking for a more mood-supportive swap? Here are 19 healthy drinks and functional beverages to consider.