Wise Bread Reloaded: Is Eating More Produce the Secret to Happiness and Wellbeing?
An apple a day keeps the psychiatrist away?
That's what medical researchers in the UK have learned.
In a recent survey of 14,000 individuals, 33.5% of participants with "good mental wellbeing" consumed five or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day. In contrast, only 6.8% of participants with good mental wellbeing consumed less than one serving of fruits or vegetables per day. Other health-related behaviors such as alcohol intake and obesity were looked at, but only smoking and fruit and vegetable consumption were the "behaviors most consistently associated with both low and high mental wellbeing."
Getting your daily five (or more!) servings has obvious benefits for your physical health. And now it may be a boost to mental health, too.
Need some ideas to help you get more fruits and vege into your body and your brain? Let's see what Wise Bread's writers have suggested over the years.
25 Delicious Recipes for 25 Delicious Veggies — From Artichokes to Zucchini, Ashley Marcin shares one favorite recipe for each of her 25 favorite vegetables.
25 Ways to Use Frozen Mixed Vegetables — Frozen vegetables are a great frugal choice — almost as nutritious as fresh, often way cheaper, and always convenient. Rebecca Lieb shares a long list of easy, delicious recipes.
The Produce Worker's Guide to Choosing Fruits and Vegetables — You're sold on the idea of getting more fruits and vegetables, but you're unsure about how to choose the freshest, most flavorful ones from the bin. No problem. Ashley Watson used to be a produce stocker at her local grocery, and she learned a lot about ripe produce.
7 Ways to Use Subpar Produce — Linsey Knerl shows you what to do with a mushy banana or some wilted celery or a flat of overripe strawberries.
Fridge or Counter: Where to Store Fresh Fruit for Best Flavor — Now that you have it home, where do you store it? Ashley Marcin tells you.
10 Incredible But True Facts About Eating Fruits and Vegetables — Finally, Beth Buczynski uncovers 10 more astounding facts about fruits and veggies, giving you even more reason to fill your cart in the produce section.
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