Heart pounding, sweat streaming down the sides of our faces—we’ve all experienced moments of extreme fear in our lives, and with that level of adrenaline pumping through one’s veins, it can be hard to calm back down. I’ve long assumed that the only thing you can do to slow down your heart rate is to just wait it out, maybe do some deep breathing, but I recently learned of a long-standing Mexican tradition to induce a sense of calm: eating bread. There’s some science backing up the practice, too.
Why you should eat bread when you’re scared
NBC News recently wote about this fascinating Mexican tradition. The preferred bread to curb fear is usually a bolillo, a football-shaped roll with a thin, crackly crust and a fluffy interior. (A cold tortilla will also do.) It’s the type of advice Mexican grandmothers have passed down through generations.
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Usually the last thing I’d want to do while I’m scared or stressed is eat something. I’m one of those people who suddenly loses all appetite when my heart is racing like that. But if there’s anyone whose advice I treasure, it’s grandmothers. Next time I watch a horror movie, I’ll just make sure to sneak a bolillo into the movie theater—don’t be surprised if you hear crackling during the scary parts.
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