# What should I eat when I'm upset? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 23, 2008, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-eat-when-im-upset/457491 "2008-07-23T16:02:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lillith\_Fair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bb73d2/32.png) [@Lillith\_Fair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lillith_Fair)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2008, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-eat-when-im-upset/457491/1 "2008-07-23T16:02:05Z")
Do you ever get so worried or upset about something that you lose your appetite? Because when something is seriously worrying me that is what happens. Not that I can’t afford to lose some weight, but I don’t want to do it by starving myself. Should I go buy something like Ensure and drink it? Or just force myself to eat the banana I brought to work with me? Drink some tea? Eat some cheese and crackers? ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2008, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-eat-when-im-upset/457491/2 "2008-07-23T16:06:31Z")
I usually use those times to eat really healthy - after all, if I don’t care what I eat, I might as well get some extra veggies/fiber/whatever I think I should eat more of. So maybe… a salad? The banana seems like a good start as well. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2008, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-eat-when-im-upset/457491/3 "2008-07-23T16:12:54Z")
There have been a couple of times after the flu or stomach bug where my appetite didn’t come back for quite a while. Those drinkable yogurt things work pretty well for keeping body and soul together. ---
**Author:** ![SharkB8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/977dab/32.png) [@SharkB8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SharkB8)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2008, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-eat-when-im-upset/457491/4 "2008-07-23T16:16:08Z")
[QUOTE=Lillith Fair] Do you ever get so worried or upset about something that you lose your appetite? Because when something is seriously worrying me that is what happens. Not that I can’t afford to lose some weight, but I don’t want to do it by starving myself. Should I go buy something like Ensure and drink it? Or just force myself to eat the banana I brought to work with me? Drink some tea? Eat some cheese and crackers? [/QUOTE] IANADoctor, but I was in basic training for the Coast Guard a little over a month ago and was pushed to my stress limit, worried about the decision I made and feeling useless lying in a bed in the ward from having wisdom teeth surgery that went terribly wrong resulting in nerve damage…needless to say eating (mind you Coast Guard food is on the tasty side) Coast Guard ward potatoes with transluscent gravy and funky stringed beans and a hard pork chop was the farthest thing from appetizing . But I needed to eat or else I’d pass out and I hadn’t been eating from the tooth pain anyway… Long story short (notice you always say this AFTER telling the long story), they gave me Boost…like a shake with vitamins and minerals. Much like Ensure, but I found Boost to be tastier. But it says on the label if you plan on using it as a meal replacement, check with a doctor. My other answer for what to eat when feeling blue, is to make something you parents your to give you when you were wee…like some comfort food that you maybe miss. Also, I start to crave the food my parents used to give me when I was sick…for example, orange jell-o! Hope this helps and chin up! ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2008, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-eat-when-im-upset/457491/5 "2008-07-23T16:18:17Z")
Ensure is expensive. I think you can get the same nutrients from Carnation Instant Breakfast in 2% milk. I never have an appetite in the morning, but that keeps me going until lunchtime. Fruits and veggies and yogurt – I never thought of that for breakfast! Easy peasy and no prep time. ---
**Author:** ![Lillith\_Fair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bb73d2/32.png) [@Lillith\_Fair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lillith_Fair)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2008, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-eat-when-im-upset/457491/6 "2008-07-23T17:55:25Z")
Thanks for the ideas! ---
**Author:** ![Alive\_At\_Both\_Ends](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Alive\_At\_Both\_Ends](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alive_At_Both_Ends)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2008, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-eat-when-im-upset/457491/7 "2008-07-23T18:12:42Z")
[QUOTE=Athena] I usually use those times to eat really healthy - after all, if I don’t care what I eat, I might as well get some extra veggies/fiber/whatever I think I should eat more of. So maybe… a salad? The banana seems like a good start as well. [/QUOTE] There’s a difference between “not caring what I eat” and “having no appetite”. As it happens, I have just been advised by my doctor to put on weight, but I have no appetite either. Salad has no appeal right now, and won’t help me put on weight anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2008, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-eat-when-im-upset/457491/8 "2008-07-23T19:24:06Z")
Another vote for drinkable yogurt. It goes down easy, but sits in your stomach and provides some nutrition. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2008, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-eat-when-im-upset/457491/9 "2008-07-23T20:41:01Z")
When I was so panicky I couldn’t eat or keep food down, I went with Ensure to be able to have some energy. Grandma drank Boost when she couldn’t eat anything else, so either of those would be good as a temporary measure. ---
**Author:** ![Ducktail](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/43a26b/32.png) [@Ducktail](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ducktail)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2008, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-eat-when-im-upset/457491/10 "2008-07-23T20:58:14Z")
I stop eating when I’m upset, too. The best I’ve found is really light food, mostly carbohydrates. Crackers and cheese, or bread with butter on it. Eating heavy meals in a bad state really messes up my system. ---
**Author:** ![Lillith\_Fair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bb73d2/32.png) [@Lillith\_Fair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lillith_Fair)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2008, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-eat-when-im-upset/457491/11 "2008-07-27T00:09:36Z")
I felt better immediately when I told a friend on Wednesday night, and another friend over lunch on Thursday. But it comes and goes–the sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. I am trying to just eat healthy. Thanks!