Happy foods - part 2

For the next couple of weeks I’ll be writing about foods that can make you a lot happier if you make them a part of your daily diet. Studies have shown that each of these six happy foods can positively contribute to your wellbeing, you are what you eat right?! The second category of happy foods you'll learn about this week are fruits and veggies! 

As I explained in Happy foods - part 1, I have a curious mind that craves to learn about new things. I’m kind of a nerd, so whenever I get the chance I love to read about science. There are always certain subjects that spike my interest a bit more than others; happiness (combined with science) is one of those for me.

Fruits and veggies make you happier?!
YES! A study published in the British Journal of Health Psychology, performed on about 300 young adults who kept daily food journals for three weeks researchers found that a higher intake of fruits and veggies resulted in more energy and a greater feeling of happiness. These effects didn’t just last on the days more fruits and veggies were consumed but also throughout the next day!

Another study published in the journal Social Indicators, where 80.000 adults participated in, showed the same results about eating fruits and veggies when the adults had 7 servings a day. To add this amount of servings to your daily diet it’s best to decide which fruits and veggies you want to eat first and then build a meal around them. Fruits and veggies also serve great as healthy snacks!

Favorite fruits and veggies
My favorite fruits and veggies are:

• Carrots; are a great source of vitamin A but also contain a bit of vitamin C, iron and calcium.
• Bananas; are a great source of vitamin B-6 but also contain a bit of vitamin C, vitamine A, magnesium and iron.
• Broccoli; are a great source of vitamin C but also contain a bit of vitamin A, vitamine B-6, magnesium, calcium and iron.
• Oranges; are a great source of vitamin C but also contain a bit of vitamin B-6, vitamine A, calcium and magnesium.
• Spinach; are a great source of vitamin A and vitamin C but also contain a bit of magnesium, iron, vitamin B-6 and calcium.
• Apples; contain vitamin C and vitamin A but also a bit of magnesium (to my surprise apples do not contain large amounts of vitamins and minerals).

I encourage you to teach yourself about the vitamins and minerals your food contains. You can check this by going to google and typing "nutritional information apple" for example! I'm curious to learn what your favorite fruits and veggies are, so leave a comment below!

xoxo

Safira Audrey