Looking for another way to reduce stress? Eating fruits and vegetables for peace may be just what the doctor ordered!
Eat more fruits and veggies! In a first-of-its-kind evaluation, scientists found that produce has the power to mitigate feelings of stress.
The study included 8,640 adults ages 33-53 and compared fruit and vegetable intake to four separate measures of “stress,” including: worry, tension, lack of joy, and feelings of overload/pressure.
Higher produce intake was tied to lower stress levels in all measures except overload/pressure (the one measure related to external vs. internal stressors). So yes, you can reduce stress with fruits and vegetables.
The sweet spot to reduce stress with fruits and vegetables was 400+ grams or about 5+ servings a day. This easy-to-achieve daily dose of produce showed up to a 36 percent reduction in perceived stress!
I am heading right now to eat some blueberries, strawberries, watermelon, and plums for my mid-afternoon snack…
Looking for more? Did you know stress is bad for weight control. Here are some tips to help you stay cool and trim. Check out my blog post on my favorite tips for stress relief.
Serves 2-4
This smoothie is filled with anti-inflammatory power and flavor!
1 cup of frozen blueberries or mixed berries
1 banana
2 diced kiwi
8 oz. of plain or vanilla low-fat yogurt with live cultures or plain kefir
Two tight handfuls of baby, organic spinach
2 Tbs. hemp, chia, or flax seed
A liberal splash of pomegranate juice
Blend until smooth.
Frontiers in Nutrition, 2022 May 2. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2022.837066
As a welcome gift, Dr. Ann will send you her complete list of Superstar Foods to post on your fridge!
