A diet rich in fruit and vegetables is associated with a long list of health benefits, and that list just got longer.
New research from Edith Cowan University examined the link between fruit and vegetable intake and stress levels of more than 8,600 Australians aged between 25 and 91.
Findings revealed that those who ate at least 470 grams of fruit and vegetables daily had 10 per cent lower stress levels than those who consumed less than 230 grams. For the record, the World Health Organization recommends eating at least 400 grams of fruit and vegetables per day.
“Previous studies have shown the link between fruit and vegetable consumption and stress in younger adults, but this is the first time we’re seeing similar results across adults of all ages,” said study lead researcher, Ph.D. candidate Simone Radavelli-Bagatini, Ph.D., from ECU’s Institute for Nutrition Research.
This information will help strengthen the link between diets rich in fruit and vegetables and mental wellbeing, Radavelli-Bagatini added.
Results were published in the Clinical Nutrition Journal.
