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• Fruit and vegetables in the diet and mental well-being
  Celia M. Ross
  Published on: 29 September 2014

• Published on: 29 September 2014

  Fruit and vegetables in the diet and mental well-being

  • Celia M. Ross, writer

  The findings of Stranges, et al (2014) that fruit and vegetable consumption was associated with mental well-being brought to mind some other findings (1). There could be numerous mechanisms to explain these results; however, a few jump readily to mind.

  It has been asserted that oxidative stress may play a role in anxiety (2). A diet containing ample amounts of fruits and vegetables, which are rich in antioxidant...

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  The findings of Stranges, et al (2014) that fruit and vegetable consumption was associated with mental well-being brought to mind some other findings (1). There could be numerous mechanisms to explain these results; however, a few jump readily to mind.

  It has been asserted that oxidative stress may play a role in anxiety (2). A diet containing ample amounts of fruits and vegetables, which are rich in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents, might promote brain- health in part by reducing oxidative stress (3).

  There is growing evidence that the gastrointestinal microbiota influence brain function (4). This might be by multiple mechanisms. One intriguing possibility is that the gut ecosystem might influence the human epigenome including that of the brain (5). It should be noted that the epigenome retains some malleability throughout the lifespan and that the epigenome appears to influence brain function (6, 7). Whole plant foods, including fruits and vegetables, are believed to promote a health gut ecosystem (8). In addition, phytochemicals found in fruits and vegetables also affect the epigenome and might plausibly shape mood by modulating gene expression (9, 10).

  About the author: www.CeliaMRoss.com

  1. Stranges S, Samaraweera PC, Taggart F, Kandala NB, Stewart-Brown S. Major health-related behaviours and mental well-being in the general population: the Health Survey for England. BMJ Open. 2014 Sep 19;4(9):e005878. 2. Bouayed J, Rammal H, Soulimani R. Oxidative stress and anxiety: relationship and cellular pathways. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2009 Apr- Jun;2(2):63-7. 3. Lau FC, Shukitt-Hale B, Joseph JA. Nutritional intervention in brain aging: reducing the effects of inflammation and oxidative stress. Subcell Biochem. 42:299-318. 4. Tillisch K. The effects of gut microbiota on CNS function in humans. Gut Microbes. 2014 May 16;5(3). 5. Stilling RM, Dinan TG, Cryan JF. Microbial genes, brain & behaviour - epigenetic regulation of the gut-brain axis. Genes Brain Behav. 2014 Jan;13(1):69-86. 6. Fraga MF, et al. Epigenetic differences arise during the lifetime of monozygotic twins. Proceeding of the National Academy of Science U S A. 2005 Jul 26;102(30):10604-9. 7. D'Addario C, et al. Selective DNA methylation of BDNF promoter in bipolar disorder: differences among patients with BDI and BDII. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2012 Jun;37(7):1647-55. 8. Tuohy KM, Contemo L, Gasperotti M, Viola R. Up-regulating the human intestinal microbiome using whole plant foods, polyphenols, and/or fiber. J Agric Food Chem. 2012 Sep 12;60(36):8776-82. 9. Blade C, Baselga-Escudero L, Arola-Amal A MicroRNAs as New Targets of Dietary Polyphenols. Curr Pharm Biotechnol. 2014 Jul 11. [Epub ahead of print] 10. Pan MH, Lai CS, Wu JC, Ho CT. Epigenetic and disease targets by polyphenols. Curr Pharm Des. 2013;19(34):6156-85.

  Conflict of Interest:

  I write about health issues.

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  Conflict of Interest:
  None declared.

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