If you suffer with anxiety these foods and drinks might be the culprit.

With over eight million people in the UK reporting that they suffer from some form of anxiety, it’s clear there are many things that can effect how you feel.

You might think you’re being healthy by drinking gallons of fruit juice, but the high sugar content of these drinks mean that you’ll might feel energized for a while, but will quickly come down from the sugar high.

The pros suggest eating your fruit whole, and hydrating with water to avoid that awful hangry feeling.

You might know that alcohol can ruin your sleeping pattern, but not enough sleep is directly linked to feelings of anxiety too.

In the moment, a drink might help with nerves, but if you drink too much you’ll pay the price the next day, not only with a nasty hangover but with lingering anxiety.

Another misleading beverage, diet fizzy drinks might appear to be the healthier option, but the excess caffeine in these drinks can heighten anxiety levels.

Starting your day off right with toast? Wrong. Well, if it’s white bread anyway.

The flour that’s used to make a white loaf is highly processed and can leave you feelings worse for wear once it turns into blood sugar.

Another healthy option the experts say to ditch are ‘sugar-free’ or ‘light’ salad dressings, many of these get their taste from aspartame, which is an artificial sweetener that’s been linked to anxiety and depression.

Ketchup also features on the list of foods that are making you anxious, the tomato dipping sauce is mostly made from sugar, a whopping four grams per table spoon.

That amount of sugar in the popular condiment could be what’s making your anxiety so much worse, a better alternative is a fresh home-made tomato salsa.

While it’s ok on your birthday, eating too much sugary frosting on cakes has been linked to anxiety and depression.

That’s because of the high levels of trans fat that the tasty food contains, around two grams per serving in fact.

Although they’re ok once in a while, doughnuts contain all the worst ingredients if you’re an anxiety sufferer.

With loads of added sugar, very little fiber, the bad white flour that’s in your white bread and all the wrong fats, these delicious treats might not be worth it after all.

Of course, all these foods are fine as a treat, but if you routinely have them in your diet, especially if you already suffer from anxiety, it might be time to ditch them.

This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced here with permission.