Studies show that eating more fruit can prevent depression later in life 

Health benefits of saffron 

A new study  found that people who ate more fruit in midlife had less depression as they got older. 

 Vegetables have also been studied but have not shown any association with lower rates of depression. 

Experts say that 3-4 servings of fruit per day is a healthy goal. 

It's well-known that adding fruit to your diet increases fiber intake, boosts antioxidant levels, and adds variety to your diet. A new study shows that a fruit bowl may prevent future depression. A June 2024 study published in the Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging found that people  who ate more fruit in midlife were less likely to develop depression as they got older. 1 A longitudinal study in Singapore followed nearly 14,000 participants for  20 years. Those who ate the most fruit (at least three servings per day) had at least a 21% reduced odds of age-related depression. 

This result could have a significant impact on the prevention of mental illness, which is very common among older adults. 

"Studies around the world estimate that the prevalence of  depressive symptoms in older adults ranges from 17.1% to 34.4%, and among those with mild or subclinical depressive symptoms, 8-10% may progress to severe depression each year," said lead study author Ng Puay Koh, MBBS, PhD, professor of the Health Longevity Translational Research Program at the National University of Singapore, told Health magazine. “[This is] associated with reduced quality of life and increased risk of morbidity and mortality.” 

These alarming statistics prompted Koh and her research team to investigate how diet in midlife might affect mental health later in life. 

Sliced ​​watermelon, orange, blueberry, pineapple, kiwi 

The relationship between fruit intake and depression 

The Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging study began with data from 1993 to 1998. At this point, 13,738 Singaporean adults  were asked to answer detailed questions about their  fruit and vegetable intake. Her baseline age was 52.4 years. More than 20 years  later, in  follow-up interviews from 2014 to 2016, when the average age of participants was 72.5 years, they were assessed using the Geriatric Depression Scale, a clinical screening tool used in many countries to detect depression in older adults. Adults. The more fruit subjects reported eating in a 1990s survey, the less likely they were to suffer from depression about 20 years later. The association between fruit and improved mental health was not small either. In a previous press release, Professor Koh said participants who consumed at least three servings of fruit per day were able to reduce their chances of age-related depression by at least 21% compared to those who consumed less than one serving per day.2 

The fruits in question were 14 specific varieties commonly consumed in Singapore. Among them, oranges, tangerines, papayas, bananas and watermelon are particularly associated with a lower risk of depression. 

According to Julie Pace, RDN, a functional nutrition expert and owner of Core Nutrition Health and Wellness, this may affect how well the study's conclusions generalize to other people. "The fruits and vegetables studied may differ from those typically consumed in a Western diet, which may limit the generalizability of these results to Americans," she told Health magazine. 

 Another potential limitation she cited is the fact that the study was only conducted  on Chinese Singaporean adults.   Research has shown that different genetic phenotypes and environments can affect a multitude of health indicators. 3 

Why eating more fruit reduces depression Koh said it's not clear exactly why eating more fruit in your 40s and 50s may improve mental health as you age, but several factors may be involved. 

"Oxidative stress and the resulting neuroinflammation are  two well-established pathways (to depression)," she said. Fruits can help ward off these problems.  These nutrients have been shown to reduce oxidative stress in the body and inhibit inflammatory processes." Dr. Ko believes this is the most likely explanation for the study's results. 

Vegetables, which were also investigated in the study, did not have a noticeable effect on depression later in life - a finding that surprised the researchers. However, Ko has a hypothesis about why this is the case. Vegetables are also rich in antioxidants, but their typical cooking methods may reduce their anti-inflammatory effect. "Fruits are usually eaten raw as snacks throughout the day, while vegetables are usually cooked with meals," she said. "Cooking is known to alter the bioavailability and activity of nutrients in vegetables, which may thereby limit the protective effect of these nutrients against depression." 

Which foods help reduce anxiety?Is midlife the best time to eat more fruit?Though the  findings on midlife fruit consumption are interesting, Koh said that doesn't mean that midlife is the best (or only) time to eat more fruit. 

 "We asked about [subjects'] intake of 14 fruits and 25 vegetables that were most commonly consumed in Singapore at the time, but did not ask about the age at which they consumed them." they started the habit," she noted. "Other studies  have also shown that dietary fruit intake is associated with improved mental health in children and adolescents. For this reason, she recommends increasing the proportion of fruit in the diet  as soon as possible." And how much fruit should you eat per day? "For most adults, 3 to 4 servings (1.5 to 2 cups) of fruit per day is enough," Pace says. Excessive consumption is usually fine, but it can cause unwanted side effects. "Eating too much of certain fruits can cause digestive issues, such as upset stomach." 

Eating more fruit doesn't mean giving up on vegetables. "The message is not to ask people to replace vegetables with fruit. It's to ask them to eat fruit as an after-meal or between-meal snack instead of sweet desserts, savory snacks, and highly processed foods," says Koh.