KIWI
Kiwifruit can quickly improve mental health, say New Zealand scientists, quoted by the electronic publication MedicalExpress.
This fruit has proven to be a powerful mood enhancer, and new research from New Zealand's University of Otago has shown that its effects can be quite rapid.
The results of the study, published in the British Journal of Nutrition, show that kiwi improves vitality and mood in just four days.
Professor Tamlin Connor, who co-authored the study, says the data suggest the fruit is an affordable way to keep people mentally fit.
"It's great for them to know that a little reorganization of their diet like adding kiwis can change the way they feel every day," he notes.
Vitamin C intake is associated with improved mood, vitality, well-being and lower rates of depression. Its deficiency is largely associated with higher rates of depression and cognitive impairment.
However, Professor Connor says limited research has assessed how quickly mood improvement occurs after introducing vitamin C supplements or whole food sources.
The aim of the researchers was to fill this gap with an eight-week diet of 155 adults who were registered as having low levels of vitamin C.
Participants took a daily vitamin C supplement, a placebo, or two kiwi fruits each. Then they inform about their vitality, mood, quality of sleep, physical activity by completing special smartphone surveys.
The researchers found that taking kiwifruit improved the tone and mood of the participants within four days, with a peak around days 14-16. Vitamin C, on the other hand, marginally improved mood by day 12, the researchers noted.