To-do lists always seem to get longer this time of year. But you can add something to your oatmeal that will help you feel less stressed about it: wheat germ.

According to Elizabeth Somer, RD, author of Eat Your Way to Happiness, wheat germ contains an important phytonutrient known to help increase physical endurance and improve the body's ability to handle stress.

The Good Germ
Wheat germ's special phytonutrient is called octacosanol. But that's not the only thing the toasty stuff has going for it. Just a half cup of wheat germ also provides you with 100 percent of the folic acid and 50 percent of the magnesium, zinc, and vitamin E you need for the day. Find out how much magnesium you should be getting to help your body stand up to stress, too.

What Do I Do with It?
Topping peanut butter toast, oatmeal, and yogurt with wheat germ is a great idea. But it's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to creative things you can do with this grain. You can even make your holiday cookies a little more healthful by adding wheat germ -- like with these tasty no-bake Date Bran Jingle Balls. And we have a few breakfast recipes for you to try from EatingWell:

• An easy, breezy, wheat-germ-topped breakfast in a glass: Breakfast Parfait.
• A healthy homemade waffle with extra grain goodness: Multi-Grain Waffles.
• A batch of tangy, nutty breakfast muffins that will last you all week: Apricot-Wheat Germ Muffins.

Here are seven more stress-relieving foods you can really feel good about eating.

Tips from the RealAge Community

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