The Best and Worst Foods to Eat on Your Wedding Day

Ensure you'll look and feel like a million bucks!

By The Editors of Shape

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BEST Food for All-Day Energy: Oatmeal

An important part of feeling your best on your wedding day is to eat the right food so you're not on an emotional roller coaster, says Keren Gilbert, RD, founder of Decision Nutrition.

The goal is to fuel your body with food that lets blood-sugar levels rise slowly, stay even for a long period of time, and go down slowly. A great way to do this is to kick off your big day with a bowl of oatmeal. “It contains soluble fiber to slow the absorption of glucose from food in your stomach, which keeps your blood-sugar levels steady.

WORST Foods for Sweat: Spicy Foods and Caffeine

Having the jitters can activate your central nervous system to trigger sweat, but you should also limit spices and caffeine if you want to stay dry. “Spicy foods and caffeine can activate neurotransmitters, called acetylcholine,” says Kelley Redbord, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist in private practice in Vienna, VA. “Anything that stimulates these neurotransmitters can sometimes affect the glands that cause sweating.”

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BEST Food to Ease Water Retention: Salad

Waking up with puffy eyes can make you look less than photogenic and swollen feet can keep you off the dance floor. You can trick your body into letting go of excess liquid by noshing on natural diuretics. For a triple dose, try tossing half of a sliced cucumber with ¼ cup parsley and 1 tbsp lemon juice, says Jackie Keller, a celebrity nutrition expert based in LA who has worked with stars such as Reese Witherspoon, Angelina Jolie, and Charlize Theron.

WORST Food to Banish Bloat: Diet Soda

Carbonated drinks, such as sodas and seltzers, contain carbon dioxide that makes your stomach expand so you look and feel bloated, says Molly Morgan, RD, author of The Skinny Rules (Harlequin Non-Fiction 2011). Instead of reaching for a fizzy drink, try sipping on water flavored with cucumber slices. The H2O keeps you hydrated, and remember cucumbers are a natural diuretic to ward off water retention where you don’t want it.
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BEST Food to Stay Hydrated: Tropical Fruit

Not getting enough fluids can leave you feeling lethargic. Fruits and vegetables are natural hydrators since they’re 60 to 95 percent water. Melons, papaya, and mangos are especially good because they also contain potassium, which helps regulate your body’s balance of fluids and minerals, Keller says. Cut a cantaloupe in half, scoop out the seeds, and fill with sliced papaya or mango for a quenching treat.

WORST Food to Prevent Gas: Crudite Platter

Although cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower are nutritional powerhouses, they also tend to be difficult to digest and could contribute to gas, Morgan says. It’s best to steer clear of these vegetables (as well as beans!) on your wedding day to ward off an embarrassing moment.
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BEST Food for Glowing Skin: Chia Seeds

These little black seeds are the highest natural source of omega-3s, and when your cells are nourished, your skin glows. Omega-3 fatty acids benefit your skin because they help strengthen cell membranes’ barriers to allow water and nutrients in and keep toxins out, Gilbert says. Mix chia seeds in your oatmeal or a natural fruit shake, or sprinkle them on your salad on your big day.
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WORST Food to Minimize Nausea: Fatty Cheeses

It may be tempting to reach for comfort food like pizza or cheesy fries to soothe yourself when you’re getting ready for one of the biggest moments of your life, but fat and grease can exasperate nausea if you’re nervous because they’re harder to digest than carbs or even lean protein. Casein is the main protein in cow's milk and forms a very tough, rubbery curd in you stomach, Gilbert says. “Along with the high saturated fat content, it makes dairy rough on the stomach and is a frequent source of indigestion.”

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