- Diet influences aspects of physical and mental health, contributing to overall well-being.
- Researchers are still seeking to understand what components of diet can have the most impact on mental health.
- A recent study found that eating kiwi fruit helped boost mood within a few days among people with low vitamin C levels.
Following a healthy diet helps support quality of life, but researchers and nutrition experts are still seeking to understand the mechanisms that drive the connection between food and mood.
A recent study published in British Journal of Nutrition examined how kiwi and vitamin C impacted mood and how fast participants experienced mood improvements.
Results show that eating kiwifruit improves mood after 4 days, and the impact on vitality and mood was slightly stronger compared to study participants who received vitamin C supplements.
The findings point to the effects of vitamin C on mental health and that whole food sources may be the best way to get this nutrient.
Fruits are part of a healthful diet, and kiwifruit is one option that offers several
For example, kiwifruit may help with gastrointestinal function and improve blood sugar and lipid levels. It contains fiber, potassium, and vitamin E, and fairly high levels of vitamin C.
Prior studies suggest that vitamin C supplements and vitamin-C-rich fruits can help boost mood.
For the current study, researchers hypothesized that vitamin C could play a role in mood and healthy brain function. They were curious how fruit intake could potentially impact mental health over a period of time.
This particular study analyzed data from a three-armed placebo-controlled trial. The participants were adults between 18 and 35 who had low plasma levels of vitamin C.
Researchers divided participants into three groups: One group received a daily vitamin C supplement, the second received two kiwifruit daily, and the…
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