Eating Fruit may Easily Protect your Brain from Depression as you Age

A new study suggests that if an apple a day keeps the doctor away, a fruit salad might do even more by significantly reducing the risk of depressive symptoms as you age. This adds to the growing evidence highlighting the long-lasting and extensive health benefits of including fruit in your diet.

Researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) analyzed data from 13,738 participants over nearly two decades. They discovered that individuals who consumed around three servings of fruit daily, or more, during midlife had an estimated 21% lower risk of developing depressive symptoms in later years. These symptoms included not only depression but also delayed cognitive function, insomnia, poor concentration, and increased fatigue.

The initial phase of the research occurred between 1993 and 1998, during which participants, averaging 51 years old, were evaluated for their daily fruit intake. In the follow-up phase from 2014 to 2016, with participants now averaging 73 years old, researchers assessed their mental health using the Geriatric Depression Scale. About 3,180 participants (23.1%) reported experiencing five or more symptoms from the survey.

Impact of Daily Fruit Intake on Depressive Symptoms:

After adjusting for common lifestyle factors such as smoking, physical activity, sleep quality, and other age-related conditions, researchers found that those who ate three or more servings of fruit daily had significantly fewer depressive symptoms.

“Our study highlights the significance of fruit consumption as a preventive measure against age-related depression,” said lead researcher Woon-Puay Koh, a professor at NUS Medicine. “Participants who ate at least three servings of fruit daily, compared to those who consumed less than one serving, reduced their risk of age-related depression by at least 21%.”

Although the study is based in Singapore, many of the 14 most commonly consumed fruits, such as watermelons, oranges, tangerines, bananas, and apples, are widely available. A serving is typically a medium apple or a cup of strawberries.

“This can be achieved by eating one to two servings of fruit after each meal,” Koh added. “We found no difference in our results between fruits with high and low glycemic indexes. Therefore, individuals with diabetes can opt for fruits with a low glycemic index, which will not raise blood sugar levels as much as those with a high index.”

Maintaining Fruit Intake to Safeguard Mental Health:

The researchers suggest that maintaining fruit intake from ages 40 to 65 is key to protecting mental health in later years. Although the exact link is still unclear, they believe that the high levels of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds in fruits—such as flavonoids, carotenoids, and vitamin C—might reduce oxidative stress and help prevent brain degeneration.

Notably, vegetable consumption did not show the same association with mental health in the 13,738 study participants.

“Our study aimed to examine the relationship between midlife consumption of fruits and vegetables and the risk of depressive symptoms in late life,” said Koh.

Previous research, including a 2022 Japanese study, also found that fruit, not vegetables, reduced the risk of age-related depression. In contrast, a 2021 Australian study on participants aged 15-45 years was inconclusive. This latest study is the largest of its kind, focusing on 14 fruits in a specific age group over an extended period.

While centered on Singapore, the findings align with American studies from 2018 and 2021, which identified a link between fruit consumption and reduced depressive symptoms in adults using data from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The 2018 study also suggested that bananas might have an additional benefit due to their high tryptophan content, a precursor to serotonin, which is crucial for mood regulation.

The researchers now plan to investigate further to understand how fruit consumption may preserve mental health as we age.

Read the original article on: New Atlas

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