Study shows fruit and vegetable benefit for mental health

Consuming more fruit and vegetables can improve your mental wellbeing, according to a new study published in the journal Social Science and Medicine.

The research showed a positive association between the quantity of fruit and vegetables consumed and people's self-reported mental wellbeing.

A key feature of this work is that the study was able to follow the same individuals over time. The study also controlled for alternative factors that may affect mental well-being, such as age, education, income, marital status, employment status, lifestyle, and health, as well as consumption of other foods such as bread or dairy products.

The research showed a positive association between the quantity of fruit and vegetables consumed and people's self-reported mental wellbeing.

The findings indicate that eating just one extra portion of fruits and vegetables a day could have an equivalent effect on mental wellbeing as around eight extra days of walking a month, for at least 10 minutes at a time.

It's well-established that eating fruit and vegetables can benefit physical health, researcher says, Recently, newer studies have suggested that it may also benefit psychological wellbeing. This research builds on previous work in Australia and New Zealand by verifying this relationship using a much bigger sample.

While further work is needed to demonstrate cause and effect, the results are clear: people who do eat more fruit and vegetables report a higher level of mental well-being and life satisfaction than those who eat less, researchers say.

Encouraging better dietary habits, according to researchers, may not just be beneficial to physical health in the long run but may also improve mental wellbeing in the shorter term.