The nutritionist warns that the stress of choices can lead to junk and unhealthy foods

The upcoming presidential election could lead to a lot of junk — and sometimes unhealthy — food.

Emotional eating can be a byproduct of stressful times, including political events, sports matches and other events, according to various studies.

Recent research published in the journal Nutrients showed that emotional eating is considered a “critical risk factor for recurrent weight gain”.

The findings suggest a link between emotional eating and health factors such as obesity, depression, anxiety and stress.

Identifying healthier coping mechanisms for negative emotions may help prevent dangerous outcomes, the researchers concluded.

In an interview with Fox News Digital, Los Angeles-based registered dietitian Ilana Muhlstein said she often sees an increase in emotional eating among her clients during stressful times.

Having worked with private clients through three presidential election cycles, Muhlstein said there is “always a spike in activity” before and after an election.

“People are watching the debates and watching the comments on the couch, quickly eating their bag of chips or cookies, and that’s really destructive behavior,” she said.

Even during “nail-biting sports games,” people feel more inclined to mindlessly eat to “feel in control,” Muhlstein said.

“When we have these periods of turmoil where it’s a situation of not knowing … that sense of oblivion that can feel unsettling, people tend to confuse it with hunger,” she noted.

Emotional eating and weight loss

As a nutritionist, Muhlstein said emotional eating is one of the biggest factors she’s encountered with clients struggling with their weight.

“Until we get a handle on emotional eating, it’s really hard to lose weight and even harder to keep it off,” she said.

Emotional eating is more prevalent in American culture than in other countries, according to Muhlstein, because many food companies “have pushed on us … that food is going to be the thing that makes us feel better.”

Indulging in unhealthy foods and sweets during happy occasions, such as birthdays and other celebrations, does not have the same long-term negative impact as eating to overcome a negative situation.

“We want to have treats like cakes or cookies to elevate a positive experience,” she said.

“If you have a slice [of cake] Along with an overall healthy meal, you can still lose weight that week – you can still feel good about your body.”

“If you’ve been fired from your job, or you’re divorced, or you’re fighting with a best friend, or you’re watching the news and you’re feeling stressed, and you’re sitting there eating cake in a very rushed and unhappy way—to giving you this short-term emotional relief and a hit of dopamine — I think that’s what causes a long-term, unhealthy relationship with food,” Muhlstein said.

Potential for addiction

Emotional eaters tend to eat foods that are higher in sugar and other healthy ingredients, Muhlstein said, which can have addictive properties.

The part of the brain called the nucleus accumbens will “light up” and release dopamine when you consume processed foods that contain a balance of sugar, salt, fat and other artificial flavorings, the expert warned.

“We see in a lot of research that there is a connection between eating ultra-processed foods and these feel-good chemicals in our bodies,” she said.

“When we eat things like cookies that don’t have fiber … or we have a lot of candy that’s just sugar, syrups, flavorings and colors, it never fills us up and never fills us up.”

Guilt can make emotional eating worse, Muhlstein added, as many people “beat themselves up” after eating unhealthy foods.

Studies have shown that people who feel guilty about overeating have higher instances of emotional eating and are more likely to continue to binge eat.

How to curb emotional eating

Muhlstein encouraged people to “lose the shame or guilt” and try to have a positive outlook about their eating habits.

“If you’re constantly telling yourself, ‘I’m a stress eater, I’m a stress eater, I’m a stress eater,’ then the next time you’re stressed, you’re likely to turn to food,” she said. Fox News Digital.

“If you say to yourself, ‘I’m really stressed, I really need a walk,’ or ‘When I’m stressed, I like to journal or do mindful practices like meditation or yoga,’ then you’ll slowly start to engage in those healthier stress management techniques.”

A simple way to prevent emotional eating is to keep high sugar, fat and highly processed foods out of the house.

“You want to set your environment for success,” advised Muhlstein. “That way, when you’re stressed, you don’t have those quick-fix foods that trigger you.”

Muhlstein also recommended using healthier coping mechanisms in high-stress situations, such as exercise, deep breathing, and drinking plenty of water.