It doesn't matter if it's your first date or seventh date, dates can sometimes be nerve wrecking: what to wear, how to do your makeup, what you should eat, how much you should eat, etc. We all know you should be yourself, but let's be real: dating is allowing someone to get to know you little pieces at a time.
So here are five foods that will help you flatten your stomach, calm your nerves and help your skin. Take a look below.
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1. Nuts.
Nervous jitters are normal when you go out on dates. That's why it's important to stick to snacks that don't raise your blood sugar too quickly such as nuts including almonds, brazil nuts, hazelnuts and macadamia nuts, as these contain some protein and good fats that will reduce your cravings.
They are also a good source of magnesium, which helps with efficient energy production while also being calming to the nervous system. Stress and anxiety, that cause pre-date nerves, can be fueled by eating the wrong types of foods.
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2. Fresh Vegetables
It only takes one time to make a first impression. Nutritionist Cassandra Barns tells dailymail.com that there are a number of different foods that can actually help freshen a person's breath. Carrots, apples and celery can help scrape out the plague build-ups that can cause bad breath. Apart from being nutritious and healthy, these crunchy foods can also boost production of saliva, which fights bacteria.
In addition, celery is a natural diuretic so it will help to fight water retention and bloating. Our saliva is a natural antiseptic and it plays a crucial role in breaking down food particles trapped within dental crevices, protecting teeth from bacterial decay.
However, in order for your body to produce enough of it, you must be drinking plenty of water throughout the day, otherwise microbes in our mouth will feed on food pieces and release by-products, causing odor at the same time.
3. Healthy fats
If cocktails or a bottle of wine are in the plans for the date, it is important to prepare.
Overall, it's important that you do eat before drinking to slow the absorption of alcohol and additionally reduce the irritation that it causes to the stomach. Include healthy fats such as salmon or olive oil dressing to slow absorption of alcohol, thereby......slowing the work for your liver. It allows your liver to do it's job in making sure you don't get too intoxicated too quickly.
4. Legumes
We all want to look our best and a lot of times, that means looking our slimmest. Once again, your diet can help.
Try to include legumes in meals leading up to the big day. They consist of amylose, which is a resistant starch. It is resistant to stomach acid and digestive enzymes and it reaches the large intestine essentially intact.
So it manages to escape digestion and absorption in the small intestine.
It almost behaves like fiber, providing bulk for the bowel motion and fuel for the beneficial bacteria. It also slows down the rate that stomach processes food and delays the passage of the carbohydrates with it.
To balance your gut flora and keep your belly flat and happy consider natural yoghurt, miso soup, sauerkraut, kimchi and kambucha.
5. Dark chocolate
Chocolate contains several substances that may improve mood such as phenylethylamine, which can act as a brain neurotransmitter and affect your mood and pleasure. Chocolate also contains magnesium, one of the nutrients needed for production of serotonin, the primary hormone responsible for good mood.
Zinc is essential for hormone balance and sex drive, hence the old wives' tale of using oysters (which contain high amounts of zinc) as an aphrodisiac.
