Though most of us know just how healthy eating more fruit and vegetables are for the body, lesser known, is the research done this year that tells us that fruit and vegetables are also great and healthy for us psychologically. New research tells u that in just two weeks of increasing our intake of fruit and vegetables we could see a change in our psychological well-being.
This recent study was led by Dr. Tamlin Conner, from the Psychology department of the University of Otago in New Zealand. Young adults who participated in the study were given an increase of a wide variety of fruit and vegetables for 2 weeks and began to experience a noticeable change in their motivation levels. The research results were reported in the journal PLOS ONE. The United States Department of Agriculture suggests that for adults to experience this same noticeable change, they must consume at least two cups of fruit and two-three cups of vegetables daily.
A healthy consumption of the recommended dosage of fruit and vegetables is also known to lessen the risks of many diseases such as, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, strokes, and some forms of cancer. And it is simple to add these extra servings to your daily diet. Change your meal plans before you go shopping to include more fruit and vegetables than other food groups. Make these foods the center of your meal and place your protein around it as a side dish. After a couple weeks, which is all this research says is required, you will be used to eating the daily recommended amounts of these healthy foods.
In order for this research to be validated, the participants were separated into three groups for the two weeks. 171 students enrolled in the project. One-third of the group ate the way they always did, another group was given just two additional servings of fruit and vegetables, while the last group was given three additional servings and reminders sent via text to eat more. At the study’s beginning, the three groups were tested psychologically, for mood, vitality, and motivation. The third group who were encouraged to eat the most fruit and vegetables far outweighed the other two groups in their rise in vitality and motivation, and had a significant increase in their sense of well-being. This study proves that it isn’t just about eating fruit and vegetables, it does matter how much is included in your diet.
Source: Medical News Today