London - Eating fruit and vegetables appears to make young people calmer, happier and more energetic.
But for those struggling to eat their ‘five-a-day’, a study suggests they need to eat seven or eight portions to make any impact on mood.
Researchers from the psychology department at the University of Otago in New Zealand said one serving of fruit or vegetables was approximately the size that could fit in half a cup.
After asking 281 young people, with an average age of 20, to complete a 21-day online food diary, they found that those who ate their greens reported feeling calmer and more energised, while those who ate junk food recorded no difference.
Researcher Dr Tamlin Conner said her team ran additional analyses and found that eating fruit and vegetables led to a more positive mood the next day.
According to nutritional wisdom, an apple a day can help keep your body healthy. Now researchers say it can also improve your state of mind.
A team from the psychology department at the University of Otago in New Zealand asked 281 young people to complete a 21-day online food diary.
At the end of the trial period, those who ate plenty of fruit and vegetables reported feeling calmer, happier and more energised. Those who ate junk food reported no difference in mood.
Head researcher Dr Tamlin Conner said: ‘After further analysis we demonstrated that young people would need to consume approximately seven to eight total servings of fruits and vegetables per day to notice a meaningful positive change.
‘One serving of fruit or vegetables is approximately the size that could fit in your palm, or half a cup.’ - Daily Mail