Fruits and vegetables important for mental, physical well-being: Study

While it's well-established that eating fruits and vegetables can benefit physical health. A recent study suggests that it may also benefit psychological well-being.

The research showed a positive association between the quantity of fruit and vegetables consumed and people's self-reported mental well-being.

Specifically, the findings indicate that eating just one extra portion of fruits and vegetables a day could have an equivalent effect on mental well-being as around 8 extra days of walking a month (for at least 10 minutes at a time).

Findings of the study were published in the Journal of Social Science & Medicine.

"It's well-established that eating fruit and vegetables can benefit physical health. Recently, newer studies have suggested that it may also benefit psychological well-being," said Peter Howley, lead author of the study.

Explaining the study, Howley said, "Our research builds on previous work in Australia and New Zealand by verifying this relationship using a much bigger sample. The results are clear: people who do eat more fruit and vegetables report a higher level of mental well-being and life satisfaction than those who eat less."

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