Eating Fruits For Improving Mental Health: Gaining Insight Into The New Research

Eating raw and freshly cut fruits is linked with glowing skin, maintains blood flow, provides minerals and vitamins, contributes a lot of fiber, provides protection against cancer and other deadly diseases, maintains good health, and whatnot!

We all are aware of how fruits have been contributing to maintaining our physical health. But, do you know eating fruits can also improve your mental health?

Well, we have already discovered the link between nutrition and mental health. Recently, I came across a study that states that eating freshly cut fruits can improve your mental health. Not only this, but it can also reduce the symptoms related to depression, anxiety, stress, and other mental health issues.

In this blog, we will be discussing how eating fruits can improve mental health and what fruits are good for your mental health on the basis of newly published research.

Gaining an Insight into the Research

A study published by the British Journal of Nutrition that found eating fruits regularly is proven to reduce symptoms of depression. In this study, 428 healthy adults were studied in the United Kingdom. The survey revealed that eating fruits on a regular basis can improve mental health and reduce depression.

Meanwhile, this study also shows that consuming less-nutrient savory foods (for ex: chips) regularly can result in more mental lapses and can increase the levels of anxiety. Moreover, they are also related to forgetfulness, misplacing items, and difficulty remembering small things.

Moving further, in relation to this study let us explore how fruits help in improving mental health.

How do Fruits Help to Fuel up Mental Health?

Nicola-Jayne (Lead author of this study) stated that many studies have found a relationship between fruits and vegetables and mental health, but only a few of them diversified between the quantity of intake and frequency.

Fruits are rich in fiber, antioxidants, and required micronutrients that help in promoting brain functioning. But the fact is that sometimes, these essential nutrients are lost during cooking. Therefore, eating raw and freshly cut fruits ensures that we are consuming all the required nutrients in the right way.

Additionally, changing the way we snack frequently can also help in improving our mental health. Completely excluding savory, less-nutrient, and processed snacks can improve your mental and physical well-being. Consecutively, it’s always better to reach out to a fresh-cut fruit bowl instead of processed food packets.

The study didn’t reflect on the quantity but the idea is to eat healthy frequently so that we can really enjoy the positive impact on our overall wellbeing.

Neuroscientist Renetta Weaver appropriately stated that “Our body is the vehicle that helps us get up and go, there it’s important to fill our vehicle with the best fuel, as nutrition impacts our mental health because what we eat determines how we feel.”

Binging on fewer nutrient foods can make us feel sluggish, tired, depressed, and anxious. While processed foods are inexpensive, accessible, and tasty…they can also have negative impacts on physical and mental health.

A Small Tip from the Author

With intentional planning, eating fruits on a regular basis is completely possible. If you are worried that eating fruits is expensive and has a short shelf-life, I have a solution for you.

You can try eating seasonal fruits as they are more inexpensive and easily available. Additionally, try buying fruits in less quantity so that you can eat fresh. Don’t opt for exotic fruits as they are preserved and have less-nutrients than expected. Therefore, buy locally, eat seasonally, and stay healthy!

Try hopping for fruits that have more nutritional value like gooseberries and java plums are the most highly nutritious fruits that fulfil all your needs.

What fruits are good for mental health?

Now, you must be wondering what fruits are exactly recommended for improving mental health. Don’t worry; here is the list of suggested fruits for improving mental health:

• Bananas: Helps in alleviating mood, increases feelings of happiness and wellbeing
• Oranges: Improve the efficiency of antidepressant medicines, help treat dementia, reduces the risk of cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease, and increase blood supply to the brain
• Blueberries: Reduced depression, stabilizes mood, helps regulate emotions, and reduces inflammation
• Avocado: Influences mood and reduces anxiety
• Apricots: Helps deal with bipolar episodes, mood disorders, and psychiatric disturbance. Additionally, increases self-esteem and controls impulsive behavior
• Guava: Helps people feel less anxious and makes them happier. Reduces the risk of cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease and improves concentration, cognition skills, and neuronal activities
• Coconut: Superfood, reduces depression, provides stress relief, helps with memory loss, improves mood, increases focus, and helps fight mental weariness
• Pumpkin Seeds: Packed with anti-stress neurochemical that helps reduce depression and anxiety
• Cherry Tomatoes: Helps treat Alzheimer’s disease and depression
• Lemon: Alleviates mood and reduces stress and depression.

I hope this blog helps you gain insight into how eating raw and freshly cut fruits can help improve your mental health.

Comment down your favorite fruit and we will help you in exploring how it can be good for your mental health.

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Thanks for reading and keep eating healthy!

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