This fruit can improve mental health in 4 days: study

health

by ben cost

What about apples?

Apples are no longer the fruit of choice that keeps doctors away. New Zealand scientists have found that eating kiwi can boost your mood in just four days, according to research published in the British Journal of Nutrition.

“It's great to know that making small changes to your diet, such as adding kiwifruit, can make a difference in how you feel every day,” study co-author Tamlyn Connor, a psychology professor at the University of Otago, said in a statement. It's great for people.” .

These mental health-boosting effects are reportedly due to the fact that these fluffy fruits are rich in vitamin C, which can boost mood and energy among other benefits. It is known that

To test the fruit's supposed mood-boosting effects, the Kiwi team conducted a dietary experiment on 155 adults who were deficient in vitamin C.

Every day for eight weeks, participants were given either a placebo, a 250 mg vitamin C supplement, or two kiwis, and then asked to report on their energy, mood, sleep quality, and physical activity.

The researchers found that both the vitamin C group and the kiwi group reported improved mood, but only the latter group said they felt an increase in self-perceived success.

Best of all, the Kiwi group reportedly experienced increased energy and mood in just four days, with the effects peaking at about 14 to 16 days.

Lead author Dr Ben Fletcher, who carried out the study as part of his PhD at the University of Otago, said: “The participants had relatively good mental health to begin with, so there was little room for improvement, but this did not stop them from eating kiwifruit.'' “We reported the benefits of vitamin C intervention.”

Scientists attribute these mental health benefits to the aforementioned high vitamin C content in kiwi.

Interestingly, participants were administered the Sungold variety (which has a yellow rather than green interior) and was reported to boast three times more vitamin C than oranges or strawberries, when judged on an edible pulp weight basis. ing.

Ultimately, Fletcher said, the results “show that what we eat can affect our mood relatively quickly.”

“We encourage a holistic approach to nutrition and health and encourage the inclusion of a variety of nutrient-dense foods in the diet,” the scientists said.