New research finds that increasing vegetable consumption has a positive effect on how happy a person feels.  USDA’s Agricultural Research Service said that holds true for adults who consume the daily amount of vegetable servings recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.  Researchers at the Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center conducted an eight-week study, dividing healthy men and women between 18 and 65 years old into two groups.  

 

The first group of participants received daily servings of the recommended number and variety of vegetables based on their energy needs during the course of the study.  The second group of participants received the same number of interactions and attention from the researchers while maintaining a diet without adding vegetables.  All participants completed a questionnaire called the Subjective Happiness Scale, or SHS.

 

Researcher Shanon Casperson said, “Results suggest that increasing the amount of vegetables you eat every day may benefit your mental health.”

 

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