Want a happier life? Eat more fruit and vegetables

Science has shown what many of us have known for a long, long time: eating more fruit and veg makes you happier, not just healthier.

The typical kinds of physical health benefits cited from eating fruit and veg can take years to show themselves, and in many cases these 'benefits' are actually the avoidance of negative health outcomes like obesity, heart disease and hypertension. But it turns out that psychological well-being is a proven benefit as well, and one which comes more quickly.

"Eating fruit and vegetables apparently boosts our happiness far more quickly than it improves human health," says Professor Andrew Oswald, one of the authors of a recent peer-reviewed scientific study on the topic. "People’s motivation to eat healthy food is weakened by the fact that physical health benefits, such as protecting against cancer, accrue decades later. However, well-being improvements from increased consumption of fruit and vegetables are closer to immediate."

The research being reported on in the scientific journal, American Journal of Public Health, indicates that people who changed from almost no fruit and veg in their diet to eight portions of fruit and veg a day would experience an increase in life satisfaction equivalent to moving from unemployment to employment. These well-being improvements occurred within 24 months. But even those already eating moderate fruit and veg can have improved life satisfaction by eating up to eight portions per day. (And, no, even though it is comprised mainly of fruit juice, wine did not qualify as a 'portion' in the study.)

The research also showed that changing your fruit and veg consumption was predictive of changes in happiness and life satisfaction later in life, even controlling for factors like income and life circumstances. Just one more reason to eat your veg and smile! Thanks to the Oranjezicht City Farm in CapeTown https://www.facebook.com/OZCFarm