People who ate seven to eight servings of fruits and vegetables a day reported feeling calmer, happier, and more energetic the day they consumed the produce, as well as the next day, finds a study published in the British Journal of Health Psychology. The results suggest that fruit and vegetable intake actually drives mood change, and not the other way around. How does it work? Complex carbohydrates in fresh produce increase levels of serotonin in the brain, researchers explain. Individual nutrients, like flavonols and omega-3 fatty acids, which have both been shown to heighten cognitive function, could also contribute. Fats and refined sugars, on the other hand, reduce brain-derived neurotropic factor, a protein that protects against poorer mood states and even depression. Although it stands to reason that a health high would trigger a chain of good diet choices, analysis showed it didn’t influence future food choices. “People didn’t realize that the fruits and vegetables were making them feel better,” says study author Tamlin Conner, PhD, a senior lecturer in the psychology department at the University of Otago in New Zealand. Feel the results yourself by aiming for at least seven servings of fresh or frozen fruit and vegetables per day—every day. “Even if your mood is generally quite positive because on average you eat quite well, it will still go up and down depending on how many fruits and vegetables you eat compared to your typical intake,” Dr. Conner says. Get the good mood started with these 25 Healthiest Foods For Women.
