Eating more fruit a day keeps depression at bay, study finds

There is a famous saying that an apple a day keeps the doctor away. But fruits could do much more for our health. A recent study (source 1) reveals that those who eat fruit frequently report better mental well-being. They are also less likely to report symptoms of depression. This research was conducted by the College of Health and Life Sciences at the University of Aston in the UK. The findings were published in the British Journal of Nutrition.

Conversely, the researchers found that those who ate more crisps were more likely to report higher levels of anxiety. No link was found between vegetable consumption and psychological health. This study was conducted with 428 adults and examined the relationship between their consumption of fruits, vegetables, sweet and salty snacks and their psychological health.

According to the survey, the more fruit they consumed, the lower they scored for depression and the higher they scored for mental well-being, regardless of the overall amount of fruit consumed.

“Very little is known about how diet can affect mental health and well-being, and although we did not examine causality directly here, our findings may suggest that frequent snacking on nutrient-poor salty foods may increase daily mental lapses, which in turn reduces psychological health.” , warns Nicola-Jayne Tuck, main author of this study, doctoral student.

Before completing: “Fruits and vegetables are rich in antioxidants, fiber and essential micronutrients that support optimal brain function, but these nutrients can be lost during cooking. As we are more likely to eat raw fruits, this could potentially explain their greater influence on our psychological health. It’s possible that changing what we snack on is a very simple and easy way to improve our mental well-being.”