If you are looking for ways to beat the blues or improve your overall mental health, you might want to start with taking a look at what’s on your plate. A recent study by the University of Otago in New Zealand found that raw fruits and vegetables are much more beneficial for mental health than their cooked, canned, or processed versions. In particular, raw fruits and vegetables were linked with higher levels of psychological well-being, such as life satisfaction and positive mood and reduced levels of “mental illness symptomology”, such as depression. Some of the best fruits and vegetables for mental health were found to be dark leafy greens such as spinach, carrots, bananas, lettuce, berries, cucumber, kiwifruit, and more.
The researchers who conducted the study believe that cooking fruits and vegetables may decrease the levels of nutrients which are important for ideal levels of emotional and psychological functioning, whereas, keeping the fruits and vegetables in their raw state likely helps preserve the nutrients that are good for our mental health.
Fruits and vegetables have long been hailed as being one of the healthiest food groups for overall physical health, it appears that eating them raw will also help you in feeling good.
Source:
“Raw fruit and vegetables provide better mental health outcomes: Otago research” (2018). Retrieved from www.otago.ac.nz.