No doubt eating fruits and vegetables is good for our health! But, can it be related to our  psychological well-being? Yes true! A recent study proved that, eating more fruit and veggies can substantially increase people’s happiness levels later.

According to the researchers, the study explores the psychological well-being, beyond the previous traditional findings that, fruit and vegetables can reduce risk of heart attacks and cancer.

The researchers detected happiness benefits for each extra daily portion of fruit and vegetables up to 8 portions per day.

The study  that was published in the American Journal of Public Health, found that, people who changed from almost no fruit and veg to eight portions of fruit and veg per day would experience an increase in life satisfaction equivalent to moving from unemployment to employment. The well-being improvements occurred within 24 months, researchers said.

Andrew Oswald from University of Warwick in the UK, said that, “Eating fruit and vegetables apparently boosts our happiness far more quickly than it improves human health.”

“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,” said Mr. Oswald.

The study includes over 12,000 randomly selected people. These subjects kept food diaries and had their psychological well-being measured.

Redzo Mujcic from University of Queensland in Australia, said that, “Perhaps our results will be more effective than traditional messages in convincing people to have a healthy diet.”

“There is a psychological payoff now from fruit and vegetables not just a lower health risk decades later,” said Mr. Mujcic.

Also Read: Is pizza hurts the environment?

Nandini