Eating Fruits More Often Can Improve Your Mental Health, Researchers Say

“Eat more fruits in your daily diet,” said our elders, and they might have been onto something. Fruits are a lot of things. They are high in natural sugars, they have high fiber content and high water content in them, and they are delectable to eat.

But, the question is, “Does eating fruits more often improve one’s mental health?”

According to recently published research, individuals who include more fruits into their daily diet reported having positive mental well-being and reduced risks of depressive symptoms.

We will discuss the research and some of the top fruits you should add to your diet to improve your mental health.

More about the Research

The research paper was published in the British Journal of Nutrition and compared the eating habits of the people involved in the survey.

The researchers from Aston University in the UK found quite astonishing results. The group that ate fruits in their diet reported better mental well-being and reduced risks of depressive symptoms. On the flip side, the group that ate crisps that lacked nutrients reported symptoms of poor mental health and elevated signs of anxiety.

The study surveyed 428 adults in the UK as part of the research. The survey assessed the correlation between consuming fruits, vegetables, unhealthy snacks, etc., and how they impact an individual’s mental health.

Although the researchers couldn’t establish a correlation between vegetable consumption and its impact on psychological well-being, the survey found a direct association between mental health with “nutrient-rich fruit and nutrient-poor savoury snacks.”

Nicola-Jayne Tuck, lead author and doctoral student at Aston University, UK, suggests that frequent snacking on unhealthy items like crisps, pre-packaged snacks, etc., might contribute to mental lapses in individuals which drastically degrade one’s mental health over time.

Tuck further clarified the results saying that even though vegetables and fruits have very similar properties, fruits somehow have a more powerful impact on brain function and mental health. This is because we are more likely to eat raw fruits. On the other hand, vegetables are cooked before we eat them, which can lead to certain nutrients getting lost in the process.

The study also concludes that individuals experiencing a higher degree of mental lapses or poor cognitive function were at elevated risks of experiencing depression, anxiety, and poor mental wellness.

Tuck believes that introducing a shift to our snacking habits can potentially improve our mental well-being drastically.

Top Fruits that can Improve your Mental Health

If you are convinced to introduce a shift to your snacking habits, here’s a list of the top fruits that can boost your mental health.

1. Bananas

Bananas deserve a spot on the top of the list for many reasons. Firstly, the fruit is rich in Vitamin B6, directly impacting the synthesis and secretion of two of the most important neurotransmitters – serotonin and dopamine.

Not just that, bananas contain minimal serotonin, which balances the mood and improves the body's daily functioning.

Just to clear up doubts, the banana's serotonin doesn’t cross the blood-brain barrier, as studies report. However, it has been found to stabilize mood by triggering the synthesis of “feel-good” neurotransmitters in the body.

2. Oranges

The use of oranges for optimal health doesn’t need any introduction. It is rich in various vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, all of which support optimal well-being (both physical and mental).

Oranges have high folate content, which improves anti-depressant medications' efficacy. Also, the fruit is rich in hesperidin and thiamine, which are associated with optimal mental well-being and cognitive abilities.

The elevated levels of potassium and antioxidants in oranges directly correlate with the improved nervous system functioning in the body.

3. Blueberries

Take any kind of berries, which will likely support your physiological and psychological well-being optimally. Thanks to the surplus availability of antioxidants, blueberries reduce the risks of free radical damage, which is directly associated with signs of affected cognition, depression, etc.

The availability of anthocyanin in the blueberries also reduces the risks of depression quite proactively.

In some cases, the presence of Vitamin C positively influences alleviating signs of stress. There are traces of resveratrol in blueberries, which relieve depressive symptoms as well.

4. Cherry tomatoes

Like most other fruits mentioned in the list, even tomatoes are rich in vitamins and minerals, both of which support optimal physical and mental well-being.

Not just depressive episodes, tomatoes also reduce the onset of Alzheimer’s disease and other factors that influence cognitive functions.

5. Avocado

Despite being such a trendy fruit, avocados also support optimal mental well-being, thanks to the composition of vitamins, minerals, and monosaturated fatty acids.

Like bananas, avocado has high levels of Vitamin B6, which supports the production of serotonin in the body. Not only does it stabilize mood, but it also improves overall body functions.

The high levels of Vitamin B, including thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin, improve the impacts on the neurological system. The optimal levels of vitamins also alleviate anxiety symptoms in individuals.

FAQs

• Which fruits are good for anxiety and depression?

Fruits like banana and pumpkin seeds are beneficial in reducing the symptoms of anxiety and depression due to their serotonin levels.

• Is eating fruits good for mental health?

Fruits are rich in various antioxidants, minerals, vitamins, and flavonoids, all of which reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in the body, further alleviating the overall mental well-being.

• Which fruit improves mood?

Bananas and avocado are two fruits that support the production of neurotransmitters like serotonin in the body, stabilizing the overall mood.

Conclusion

Who would have thought eating fruits could positively improve your mental health? Not just for uplifting your physical well-being, snacking on a bowl of fruit salad can potentially enhance your cognitive abilities and reduce the incidence of depressive symptoms.

Discuss the issues with your doctor if you notice early signs of deteriorating mental health. Sometimes, such symptoms could be indicative of an undiagnosed underlying disorder. The earlier you get tested, the easier it is to overcome the impacts and improve your quality of life.