WEB DESK: Want to stay happy? Eat more vegetables and fruits, a new study has emerged claiming that consuming more fruit and vegetables can increase people’s happiness levels substantially.

Most of us are well aware about the number of health benefits associated with eating vegetables and fruits, but what about the psychological effects. This study which has been published in American Journal of Public Health is one of the first major scientific attempts to explore psychological well-being.

According to PTI, the happiness benefits were detected for each extra daily portion of fruit and vegetables up to 8 portions per day. Researchers revealed that people who changed from almost no fruit and vegetable a day to eight portions of fruit and vegetable a day are likely to experience an increase in life satisfaction, which is equivalent to moving from unemployment stage to employment stage.

Researchers informed that this well-being improvement occurs within 24 months. “Eating fruit and vegetables apparently boosts our happiness far more quickly than it improves human health,” said Andrew Oswald from University of Warwick in the UK.

The study followed more than 12,000 randomly selected people, which kept food diaries and had their psychological well-being measured. Researchers discovered huge psychological benefits within two years of an improved diet.

“People’s motivation to eat healthy food is weakened by the fact that physical-health benefits, such as protecting against cancer, accrue decades later. However, well-being improvements from increased consumption of fruit and vegetables are closer to immediate,” added Oswald.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2016