Feeling Stressed? Have Some Fruits and Vegetables

Dietary intake of fruits and vegetables in greater amount reduces the stress levels and promotes mental wellness, reveals a recent research.

Highlights:

Long-term stress could create chances for hypertension, heart attack, stroke, and fertility issues
The stress levels in people having a better amount of fruits and vegetables are 10% lesser than in those who consume them in lesser amounts
Nutrients including vitamins, minerals, and flavonoids could alleviate inflammation and promote mental wellness

Consuming high amounts of fruits and vegetables helps reduce stress levels in the adult population, reveals a new research.

A recent study conducted in Australia aimed to investigate whether there is an evident relationship between the intake of fruits and vegetables and stress levels in adults. It is essential to know that the World Health Organization (WHO) previously recommended an intake of at least 400 grams of fruits and vegetables per day.

Mental health issues are the important problems of concern in Australia and around the world. It was reported that around 1 in 2 Australians experience a mental health complication in their lifetime. When considered globally, this ratio goes as about 1 in 10 people live with a mental health disorder.

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‘The stress levels of adults who consumed at least 470 grams of fruits and vegetables daily were associated with 10% lesser stress levels compared topeople who had less than 230 grams.’
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Impact of Fruits and Vegetables on Mental Stress Levels

The study was conducted at the Edith Cowan University in Australia. More than 8,600 Australian adults in the age group 25 to 91 were assessed based on their dietary patterns. All the individuals were participants of the Australian Diabetes, Obesity, and Lifestyle study of the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute.

The results showed that people who consumed at least 470 grams of fruits and vegetables daily were associated with 10% lesser stress levels compared to the people who had less than 230 grams.

The lead researcher Simone Radavelli-Bagatini, a Ph.D. candidate author said, “Previous studies have shown the link between fruit and vegetables consumption and stress in younger adults, but this is the first time we are seeing similar results across adults of all ages."

The effects of long-term stress on the body could be life-threatening. It acts as a predisposing factor for many disorders, including hypertension, heart attack, stroke, and fertility issues.

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Nutrients could be the Major Contributing Factors

The factors responsible for this kind of protective mechanism by fruits and vegetables are still not clear but researchers suspect key nutrients like vitamins, minerals, flavonoids, and carotenoids to be the major ones doing the job. They are well-known to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, two factors that could possibly elevate the stress levels.

The research further measured the serum carotenoid levels in a subgroup of study participants. The levels of serum carotenoid were found to be inversely related to the perceived stress, a measure that helps to examine the link between stress and health, but this was not the case after adjusting for age and other confounding factors.

The author further added, “These findings encourage more research into diet and specifically what fruits and vegetables provide the most benefits for mental health."

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Ways to MakeYour Plate Colorful with Fruits and Veggies

Have a habit of filling half of your plate with vegetables on every meal of the day
Salads would definitely be crunchy and filling with dressing, and seasoning. Snack on them!
Fruits are delicious when blended. Make wholesome smoothies and they will be a perfect go for breakfast

Reference:

Radavelli-Bagatini S, Blekkenhorst LC, Sim M, et al. Fruit and vegetable intake is inversely associated with perceived stress across the adult lifespan Clin Nutr. 2021;40(5):2860-2867. doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2021.03.043 (AMA style citation).

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