Study: Eating more fruit keeps depression at bay

According to a recent study from the College of Health and Life Sciences at Aston University, people who regularly consume fruits are more likely to have better levels of positive mental health and more likely to experience depressive symptoms. is less.

The study was published in the British Journal of Nutrition. According to the researchers’ results, the frequency of fruit consumption is more important for psychological health than the total consumption during a typical week.

The study also showed that people who consumed salty foods with less nutrients, such as crisps, were more likely to report higher symptoms of anxiety.

The study, which was conducted on 428 individuals from across the UK and published in the British Journal of Nutrition, examined the association between the consumption of fruits, vegetables, sweet and salty food snacks, and psychological well-being.

The study found that nutrient-rich fruits and nutrient-poor salty snacks appear to be associated with psychological health after accounting for demographic and lifestyle characteristics, including age, general health, and activity. Additionally, they found no association between vegetable intake and psychological health.

According to the survey, regardless of the total amount of fruit consumed, individuals who ate fruit more frequently scored less for depression and better for mental health. People who frequently consumed nutrient-poor salty snacks (such as crisps) were more likely to experience decreased mental health and “daily mental slippage” (also known as subjective cognitive failures).

Higher levels of anxiety, stress, and hopelessness were seen, as well as poorer mental health ratings when more omissions occurred. In contrast, there was no association between these general memory slip-ups and intake of fruits, vegetables, or sweet snacks, indicating a specific link between these nutrient-poor salty snacks, general memory slip-ups, and psychological health. Is.

These annoying little everyday mistakes in memory included forgetting where things were kept, forgetting why someone was entering specific rooms, and having trouble remembering the names of friends whose names were There were “tips of the tongue”.

“Little is known about how diet can affect mental health and well-being, and while we did not directly examine causality here, our findings may suggest that nutrient-poor Frequent snacking on salty foods can increase daily mental lapses, which in turn impair psychological health,” said lead author and PhD student Nicola-Jayne Tuck.

However, few researchers have examined fruits and vegetables independently, and even fewer have assessed both the frequency and amount of intake. Other studies have established a link between fruit and vegetable consumption and mental health.

“Both fruits and vegetables contain a wealth of antioxidants, fiber and other micronutrients that support good brain health, but cooking can lead to deficiencies in these nutrients. The greater impact of fruit on our mental health can be explained by the fact that we are more inclined to eat it unripe. ,

It’s likely that changing our snacking habits may be a relatively quick and simple way to boost our mental health. On the other hand, it is also possible that the impending ban on processed snack foods at checkout, which is due to take effect in October, could aggravate both the physical and emotional health of the nation.

Overall, the effort to develop the habit of reaching for the fruit dish is absolutely worthwhile.

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