Natural Society | October 31 2012
The health benefits of produce are undeniable. We know they are good for you. And if you are a regular consumer of fruits and vegetables, you also know that they don’t only affect your physical health, but your mood. Put a regularly healthy eater, for example, on a diet of processed foods, and watch their otherwise healthy glow and attitude turn sour. And while this could be due to taste preferences and the knowledge of what’s in the “bad” foods, scientists say it’s also because plant foods simply make us happier.
How Many Servings Does it Take to See Results?
Researchers examined the diets and related moods of 80,000 people and found that those who consumed the most fruits and vegetables were happier. The magic number of produce servings to create the best mental benefits: 7. Seven portions of these plant-foods created the happiest people. More servings provided even more benefits.
Those who met the ideal 7 servings reportedly had greater life satisfaction in general, greater happiness and mental well-being, less nervousness, mental disorders, and fewer bad moods. It’s also important to note for many that fruit and vegetables have been shown to help people quit smoking naturally.