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SALT LAKE CITY — There's plenty of research supporting the idea that a diet full of fruits and vegetables leads to a happier life, but a new study says that eating produce can lead to a life full of more curiosity, pleasure and meaning.
Researchers have already studied the relationship between eating produce and hedonic well-being, which is whether people feel good and satisfied. This study focused on the eudaemonic well-being that includes curiosity, creativity and whether people feel engaged and find meaning in their life.
The study, published in the British Journal of Health Psychology, examined 405 young adults who kept a food diary for 13 days. They reported on how many fruits, vegetables, chips and sweets they eat and also kept a journal of their eudaemonic well-being.
The researchers discovered the subjects who ate more fruits and vegetables found a greater meaning and purpose to their life and were also able to engage with others better.
"These findings suggest that fruit and vegetable intake is related to other aspects of human flourishing, beyond just feeling happy,” wrote lead researcher Tamlin Conner, according to The Huffington Post.
However, the researchers noted they could not say if the link between the consumption and well-being was “casual or direct.” Already present feelings of engagement and meaning could lead people to eating healthier, researchers said.
The bottom line with these studies? There seems to be no downside — physically or emotionally — to eating more fruits and vegetables. And if you don't like broccoli or brussels sprouts, branch out to find other produce you can enjoy every day.
