We all know that eating a healthy and balanced diet is good for our physical health, but a new study has discovered that it can also help us mentally.
Specifically, eating more fruit was associated with greater general mental well-being and reduced depressive symptoms.
The team of researchers from Aston University surveyed more than 400 adults in the UK about their psychological health and their diets, detailing their snacking habits.
His research helps us better understand the link between food and mental health, which is much less well understood than its impact on physical health.
They found that people who ate fruit, compared to salty and sweet snacks and vegetables, had lower scores for depression and higher mental well-being, and this was after taking into account their different ages, general health and the amount of exercise they do.
The results were published in the British Journal of Nutrition.
While the study can’t prove that eating fruit directly improves your mental well-being, lead author Dr. Nicola-Jayne Tuck concluded that overall, “it’s definitely worth trying to get into the habit of reaching for the fruit bowl.”
On the other hand, people who ate more “nutrient-poor salty foods” had worse mental well-being.
Nicola concludes that the “findings could suggest that frequent snacking on salty, nutrient-poor foods may increase everyday mental lapses, which in turn reduces psychological health.”
So why is it better to eat fruits than vegetables? It’s not that vegetables aren’t good for you, they also contain many vital vitamins and minerals.
The difference is in how we consume them.
Nicola explains: ‘Both fruits and vegetables are rich in antioxidants, fiber and essential micronutrients that promote optimal brain function, but these nutrients can be lost during cooking.
“As we are more likely to eat raw fruit, this could potentially explain its greater influence on our psychological health.”
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