A number of antioxidant phytochemicals have been shown to confer beneficial effects against mood disorders. This may relate to the ability of antioxidants to limit the detrimental effects of inflammation, a major cause of anxiety and depression. Vegetables are a rich source of antioxidant phytochemicals including carotenoids, terpenes and polyphenols and therefore it might be expected that vegetables are beneficial in the treatment of mood disorders. Studies have assessed the effects of vegetables on mental health and found they may possess beneficial mood elevating effects. For example in one study, researchers administered plain vegetable juice or a vitamin-fortified vegetable juice to a group of individuals with mild anxiety and depression. The results of the study showed that both treatments were effective at improving the mood of the subjects compared to a control group who received no juice. Therefore vegetable juice may confer beneficial mood effects and be an effective treatment for mild mood disorders.
In this study, the vegetable juice provided to the subjects contained the equivalent to 350 grams of vegetables, with a high content of beta-carotene, magnesium, potassium, and calcium. The vitamin fortified vegetable juice contained similar amounts of nutrients, with the addition of a number of vitamins. However, the effectiveness of both treatments suggests that it was not the added vitamins that were beneficial.
Eat Well, Stay Healthy, Protect Yourself
RdB
