A study just published in BMJ Open finds consumption of fruits and vegetables directly related to mental health. In a survey of nearly 14000 participants in England, researchers found that “mental well-being” increased as fruit and vegetable consumption went up, likewise “mental well-being” decreased as fruit and vegetable consumption went down. They also looked at body mass index, alcohol consumption, and smoking as factors affecting mental health.
The novel finding in our study is that, along with smoking, the behavioural risk factor most consistently associated with mental health was fruit and vegetable consumption.
So in addition to all the other reasons to consume fruit and vegetables as part of a healthy diet, add mental well-being to the list.
The full text article can be read on the BMJ Open website: http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/4/9/e005878.full#T2