Eat More Fresh Fruits and Veggies for Mental Health

I’m a big fan of eating all types of fruits and veggies—frozen, canned, fresh, and dried. Research shows that eating more fruits and vegetables is associated with all sorts of benefits, such as lower weight, and lower risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases. However, research shows that eating more raw fruits and vegetables, in particular, is associated with better mental health, compared to eating processed, which may include cooked or canned, fruits and vegetables. Data from over 400 young adults living in the U.S. and in New Zealand was assessed in terms of typical consumption of raw versus cooked, canned, or otherwise processed fruits and vegetables and negative and positive mental health. Raw fruits and veggies intake resulted in significantly higher mental health outcomes, especially with the consumption of carrots, bananas, apples, dark leafy greens, and grapefruit. The moral of the story: Get your fruits and veggies, and include some fresh, seasonal, local ones in the mix every day.

(Frontiers in Psychology, April 2018)

Read about the study here.

For more studies on plant-based diets and health, check out the following:

US Falls Short on Fruits and Vegetables
Antioxidant-Rich Diet Fights Diabetes
Eat More Plants, Weigh Less

Image: Super Berry Soy Chia Pudding, Sharon Palmer, MSFS, RDN