SHUTTERSTOCKThe World Health Organization recommends people eat at least 400 grams of fruit and vegetables per day. For reference, an apple is about 100 grams and contains four grams of nutrients. One cup of blueberries — equal to about 65 to 75 individual blueberries — weighs in at 190 grams. On the vegetable side, one cup of broccoli equates to about 71 grams; a head of lettuce weighs on average 800 grams.
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The study, which comes from Edith Cowan University, was interested in seeing how fruit and vegetables can impact stress levels in more than 8,600 Australians between ages 25 and 91 in the Australian Diabetes, Obesity, and Lifestyle Study from Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute.
Researchers said that only 1 in 2 Australians eat the recommended two servings of fruit daily, but many fall well short on recommended vegetable intake; fewer than 1 in 10 consume the recommended five servings of vegetables daily.
Although some stress is considered normal, harboring too much over an extended period of time can cause a devastating impact on your mental health.
“Long-term and unmanaged stress can lead to a range of health problems including heart disease, diabetes, depression and anxiety so we need to find ways to prevent and possibly alleviate mental health problems in the future,” Radavelli-Bagatini said.
It’s a particularly timely study considering stress levels have skyrocketed as of late. The COVID-19 pandemic has had such a profound impact on our day-to-day and mental well-being, and health experts fear what the persistent stress and trauma caused by the pandemic could have on Americans in the future, especially Generation Z.
A recent study by the American Psychological Association warned that Gen Z teens and Gen Z adults face “unprecedented uncertainty” moving forward due to the pandemic, with nearly 8 in 10 adults saying the coronavirus pandemic has been a significant source of stress in their lives currently.
Researchers said the link between stress and greens is still a little murky, but they believe that key nutrients in both fruit and vegetables can play a role in helping manage stress.
“Vegetables and fruits contain important nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, flavonoids and carotenoids that can reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, and therefore improve mental wellbeing,” Radavelli-Bagatini said.
“Inflammation and oxidative stress in the body are recognized factors that can lead to increased stress, anxiety and lower mood. These findings encourage more research into diet and specifically what fruits and vegetables provide the most benefits for mental health.”
Recent research by Harvard University found that eating two servings of fruit and three servings of vegetables a day played a huge role in reducing one’s risk of early death. Green leafy vegetables, like collard, spinach, kale, and lettuce, alongside vegetables high in beta carotene content. Citrus fruits and berries, such as grapefruits, clementines, and pomelo, were also good to consume.