Ever wonder what calorie means? Is calorie bad? How about the so-called “empty” calories? Here’s the deal on this obesity-related word:

Calorie measures the energy value in foods and how much the body needs. The calorie value may be derived from Carbohydrate, Protein and Fat. The calories in these foods help us with our daily activities, both voluntary such as walking, talking, exercising etc. and involuntary body processes (breathing, blood circulation, etc.). So it is not true that calorie is bad. It only becomes the culprit for weight gain if there is an imbalance between the food intake and the expenditure. This only happens when we eat too much and skip our gym day.

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Biologically, our bodies are armed with a weapon against stress: your immune cells. However, there comes a time that you body’s “soldiers” take a beating. A study showed that grabbing a bit of your de-stressant can help generate more immune cells and help your nerves to relax. Here’s a list of food that could help you prevent a bad day.

1. Soup. That hot, steamy bowl of your favorite soup is always tops when it comes to sipping the stress away. Not only does that heat and aroma calm your nerves, ingredients like tomatoes, green pepper, garlic, and olive oil contain anti-oxidants, and are rich in Vitamin C to keep you stress-free.

2. Mint. More than giving you a fresh breath, mint also has anti-stress qualities that make it a handy emergency pck. It eases cramps and helps ward off indigestion. Mint is an antispasmodic so it relaxes  the muscle, which combats stiffness and aches.

3. Chamomile Tea. Tea has always been on the top half of everyone’s relaxing-food-list. This should be credited to the major amino acid content of tea leaves which is called L-theanine. L-theanine is a unique preparation for reducing stress and anxiety. It is said to contain two flavonoids called apigenin and chrysin, which are both said to have sedative effects.

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