Live to eat: How to add the right number of fruits and veggies to your daily diet

You haven’t been eating your greens all these years just to appease your grandparents, parents, concerned uncles and doctors, have you? The latest research suggests that your diet doesn’t just affect your physical health, it plays a significant role in regulating your mood and mental health as well.   Here’s how: low blood sugar, low levels of hydration, use of alcohol and caffeine can all affect our mood that can devolve into feeling anxious. Similarly, eating meals at different times every day, without a set routine can also lead to hypoglycemia and cause emotional dysregulation. [caption id=“attachment_7931981” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. Image source: Getty Images.[/caption] Recently, a large study done by the University of Toronto looked into the connection between diet and the chances of getting an anxiety disorder. The study, published in the  International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, found that unhealthy diets caused significant emotional impairment and were one of the risk factors for anxiety disorders. All of this leads us to one clear conclusion: well-balanced diets that consist of complex carbohydrates, proteins, fruits and vegetables are our best bet for overall good health. But how do you get the requisite three to five servings of fruit-and-veg daily, without getting tired of eating the same seasonal fruits every day? Here are some ideas:

Recipe for good health

Getting the requisite servings of fruits and vegetables can feel boring and repetitive. Here are some ways you can make these targets more appetizing: 1. Start right:  Include fruits and vegetables in your breakfast to get off to the right start and cover a part of the requirement before you even leave home. Have a banana or an apple as you’re getting ready. Or a mushroom and spinach omelette. You can also add grilled tomatoes to your egg sandwich or have a hearty with vegetable juice with carrots and apple. A spinach-banana smoothie is another winning combo. 2. Keep the fruit visible:  This is a handy trick since fruit is inviting to look at and is an easy snack to consume. If the fruit is accessible as you are leaving the house, or foraging for food, you are more likely to eat it over sugary snacks. Try setting up a gorgeous fruit basket in your living room, and notice if it encourages you to grab an extra orange while watching TV or guava on your way out of the house for work. 3. Make desserts a little healthier:  Desserts allow us a touch of indulgence - often it is not practical to give them up entirely but you can modify desserts to remove the sugar and add fruit for sweetness instead. Try using a mix of fruits - mix seasonal berries with cream for a quick treat. Or have a baked pear with honey and walnuts if your sweet tooth can wait for the 40 minutes it takes to prepare this dish.

How much fruit and veg?

The recent study in Canada focused on women and found that those who consumed less than three fruits and vegetables a day had 24% higher odds of getting anxiety disorders. Diets lacking balance and containing a limited amount of fruits and vegetables were associated with being overweight. If total body fat exceeded 36%, the likelihood of having an anxiety disorder increased significantly - by 70%.   Poor diets leading to excess body mass are known to cause inflammation in the body which, in turn, can cause anxiety. Consuming highly processed foods and avoiding nutrient-dense ones can lead to nutrient deficiencies and lead to inflammation as well. An emerging field of study, the gut-brain axis is beginning to show the relationship between gut health and emotional wellbeing. The neurotransmitter serotonin is synthesized mostly by the gut microbiome (about 95% receptors are also in the lining of the gut) and alterations in this chemical affect brain functioning and mental health. In short, eating at least three pieces of fruit a day and an equal number of veggies daily is the key to fitness as well as happiness. Eat five, and you get a thumbs-up from preventive cardiologists, too! Read How   Fruits Lower the Risk of Depression  for more information. Health articles in Firstpost are written by myUpchar.com, India’s first and biggest resource for verified medical information. At myUpchar, researchers and journalists work with doctors to bring you information on all things health.