水果和蔬菜可以赶走忧郁

水果和蔬菜可以赶走忧郁

We've all heard that eating fruits and vegetables is healthy for us. But now there's an added incentive to upping your intake of produce: It will put you in a better mood, according to a growing body of research.

我们都听说过吃水果和蔬菜对我们健康有益。但是现在有一个额外的动机来增加你对农产品的摄入:根据越来越多的研究，它会让你有一个更好的心情。

Chowing down on fruits and vegetables will have you feeling better in more ways than you realize. (Photo: Michael Stern [CC BY-SA 2.0]/Flickr)

In a study published in Molecular Psychiatry, researchers analyzed 41 studies on depression and discovered that people who followed a Mediterranean diet (high in vegetables, fruits, fish and nuts) had a 33 percent lower risk of developing depression compared to those who followed a diet high in processed meats and trans fat. A trial of young adult eating habits published in the journal PLOS ONE reached the same conclusion. The diet may be effective against depression is because produce is front and center, essentially replacing the foods that can cause inflammation.

在发表在《分子精神病学》的一项研究中,研究人员分析了41个研究抑郁和发现的人遵循地中海饮食(高蔬菜、水果、鱼和坚果)，比那些食用高加工肉类的饮食和反式脂肪的人降低33%患抑郁症的风险。发表在《公共科学图书馆•综合》(PLOS ONE)杂志上的一项针对年轻人饮食习惯的试验得出了同样的结论。这种饮食可能对抑郁症有效，因为农产品是最重要的，基本上取代了会引起炎症的食物。

For many, the idea of keeping depression or a dip in mood at bay with food is a lot easier to swallow than taking a pill.

对许多人来说，吃东西比吃药片更容易抑制抑郁或情绪低落。

Raw produce is even better

生鲜产品更好

Produce that hasn't been processed in any way, like these apples, could help your state of mind. (Photo: Glysiak [CC BY-SA 4.0]/Wikimedia Commons)

Eating fruits and vegetables raw may help ease symptoms of depression, according to a study conducted by the University of Otago and published in Frontiers in Psychology. Researchers surveyed 422 young adults in New Zealand and the U.S. and found that those who consumed raw produce reported less depressive symptoms and higher life satisfaction and positive outlook compared to those who ate more canned, cooked or processed fruits and vegetables.

根据奥塔哥大学一项发表在《心理学前沿》上的研究，生吃水果和蔬菜可能有助于缓解抑郁症状。研究人员对新西兰和美国的422名年轻人进行了调查，发现那些吃生鲜农产品的人与那些吃更多罐装、煮熟或加工过的水果和蔬菜的人相比，他们的抑郁症状更少，生活满意度更高，对未来的看法更积极。

The study also noted that the following raw fruits and vegetables were related to better mental health: carrots, bananas, apples, dark leafy greens like spinach, grapefruit, lettuce, citrus fruits, fresh berries, cucumber and kiwi.

研究还指出，以下生水果和蔬菜与更好的心理健康有关:胡萝卜、香蕉、苹果、菠菜、柚子、生菜、柑橘类水果、新鲜浆果、黄瓜和猕猴桃等深色绿叶蔬菜。

But just how many fruits and vegetables?

但是到底吃多少水果和蔬菜呢?

That concrete comparison — the increase in happiness is like "moving from unemployment to employment" — impressed me because it's easy to imagine what that feels like.

这种具体的比较——幸福感的增加就像“从失业走向就业”——给我留下了深刻的印象，因为很容易想象那种感觉。

Analysis of the U.K. Household Longitudinal Study found that eating one extra serving of fruits or vegetables on top of your daily amount has the same mental health benefits as an extra 7.6 days of walking 10 minutes continuously during a four-week period. The real benefit also comes from not just eating more produce here and there but making it a regular habit. Researchers noted that the frequency of eating was just as important as the quantity.

对英国家庭纵向研究的分析发现，每天多吃一份水果或蔬菜与每周多走7.6天，每天10分钟对心理健康的好处是一样的。真正的好处也不仅仅是吃更多的农产品，而是让它成为一种习惯。研究人员指出，进食的频率和数量一样重要。

How much is a serving?

一份的量是多少?

A serving size might be smaller than you think: Half a cup constitutes one serving. That might be a handful of strawberries or a medium-sized banana. (Photo: Alohaflaminggo/Shutterstock)

According to the Australian government site Eat for Health, a standard serving of vegetables is about 75 grams (like 1/2 cup cooked green or orange vegetables or 1 cup green leafy or raw salad vegetables) and a standard serving of fruit is about 150 grams (one medium apple, banana, orange, pear or 1 cup diced or canned no-sugar-added fruit).

根据澳大利亚政府网站所说，吃健康蔬菜大约是75克的标准服务(如1/2杯煮熟的绿色或橙色的蔬菜或1杯绿叶或生蔬菜沙拉)和一个标准的水果大约是150克(一个媒介苹果、香蕉、橘子、梨或1杯或不添加糖罐头水果丁)。

Getting in eight servings of fruits and vegetables might seem daunting if you're not used to it, but there's no time like the present to change your ways. It's a lot easier to get in that amount when your choices are abundant. Besides, cementing your new habit now will make it easier to stick with your goal during the winter, when options aren't as plentiful.

如果你不习惯的话，吃八份水果和蔬菜可能会让你望而生畏，但是没有什么时候像现在这样容易改变你的习惯。当你有大量的选择时，你会更容易实现目标。此外，现在巩固你的新习惯会让你在冬天更容易坚持你的目标，因为那时没有那么多的选择。