Nutrition and Emotional Health
What are some reasons you think healthy eating is important? Most of us know that consuming a healthy diet including adequate fruits and vegetables is important for staying healthy, from keeping our immune systems healthy to reducing risk for chronic diseases later on. More research is demonstrating that what we eat also plays an important role in our mental and emotional health, and that can affect you right now, not just decades in the future.
One study of nearly 2000 US adults found that higher levels of carotenoids, a family of important antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables, were associated with lower risk for symptoms of depression. Interestingly, another study found that antioxidant intake from supplements did not seem to have a significant effect on risk for depression.
This might indicate that it’s specifically the consumption of fruits and vegetables, and not necessarily the intake of particular antioxidants, that can be supportive of mental health! Indeed, another study in Canadian adults found that overall, higher intake of fruits and vegetables was significantly related to reduced risk for symptoms of depression, anxiety and distress
While we don’t know everything about which antioxidants might play a role in reducing depression, the evidence is growing that consuming adequate fruits and vegetables is an important part of your self-care plan. To take in a wide array of antioxidants, choose a variety of fruits and vegetables each day.Try a colorful array for your mental health.
Sources:
- Beydoun MA, Beydoun HA, Boueiz A, Shroff MR, Zonderman AB. Antioxidant status and its association with elevated depressive symptoms among US adults: National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys 2005-6. Br J Nutr. 2013 May;109(9):1714-29.
- Payne ME, Steck SE, George RR, Steffens DC. Fruit, vegetable, and antioxidant intakes are lower in older adults with depression. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2012 Dec;112(12):2022-7.
- McMartin SE, Jacka FN, Colman I. The association between fruit and vegetable consumption and mental health disorders: evidence from five waves of a national survey of Canadians. Prev Med. 2013 Mar;56(3-4):225-30.
- Jenna Heller, MS, RDN
Dietitian, Wellness @ ASU
