PsyPost: Eating more fruit and fewer savory snacks predicts better mental health, study finds

“New psychology findings offer evidence that the food we eat has a direct influence on our mental health. The study, published in the British Journal of Nutrition, found that eating more fruit predicted fewer depression symptoms and greater psychological well-being while eating more savory snacks predicted increased anxiety.

In recent years, scientists have begun to consider whether modifying one’s diet might offer a pathway to improving psychological health. This idea comes on the heels of evidence linking the consumption of nutrient-dense foods (e.g., fruits and vegetables) to fewer mental health issues, and the consumption of nutrient-poor foods (e.g., candies, savory snacks) to worse stress, anxiety, and depression.

It is unclear why diet might impact mental health, but study author Nicola-Jayne Tuck and her team say it may have to do with the way nutrients impact our cognitive processes. Past studies have suggested that a nutrient-poor diet negatively impacts cognitive function while a nutrient-rich diet improves it. And cognitive deficits, such as reduced inhibitory control and cognitive failures, have been associated with worse mental health.

Tuck and her colleagues conducted a study to explore whether diet might influence mental health through its impact on cognition, while also investigating the impact of both the frequency and quantity of fruit and vegetable consumption.”

Some Insights From This Article

• Fruits may lead to better mental health outcomes for average enjoyers in comparison to their more savory processed counterparts. The explanation may be more simple than thought, nutrient dense foods and digestive health friendly foods may allow our body to optimally function giving us a stable sense of energy, mood and hormonal balance.

• Gut health is surprisingly very closely tied to mental health. Our microbiome can control our neurotransmitter and hormone balance by controlling levels of inflammation and exerting communication through the vagus nerve.

• Therefore things that support our gut health will also support our mental health! Including eating vegetables and fruits.

What is your favorite fruit?

Full article is here!

#DigestiveHealth #MentalHealth #Fruits