Foods that may help reduce your risk of depression

Dam Press:
High levels of micronutrients such as vitamin C, carotenoids and flavonoids have been shown to reduce oxidative stress and prevent inflammation, the researchers said.
Eating plenty of fruit may reduce the risk of depression in later life, a new study suggests.
The 20-year study involving more than 13,000 participants showed that higher fruit intake was associated with a lower likelihood of experiencing depressive symptoms in old age.
Scientists say eating at least three servings of fruit a day in middle age can reduce the risk of age-related depression by at least 21%, compared with eating one serving or less a day.
Doctors around the world have noted an increase in the prevalence of depressive symptoms in older adults, including feelings of depression, lack of pleasure and delayed cognitive processing, which are often accompanied by loss of appetite, insomnia, difficulty concentrating and increasing fatigue as we age.
They say this is related to underlying neurodegenerative changes in the brain.
In order to maintain the health of older adults, methods to prevent depression in late life have been extensively studied.
There is growing evidence that nutritional factors have a plausible role in preventing depression in the elderly.
The new study, conducted by the Yong Lo Lin School of Medicine at the National University of Singapore, included 13,738 participants in the Singapore Chinese Health Study, which tracked participants for about 20 years from midlife to late life.
The research team found that participants who ate more fruit early in life were less likely to experience depressive symptoms later in life.
Researchers studied 14 fruits commonly eaten in Singapore and found that eating most fruits, including oranges, tangerines, bananas, papayas, watermelons, apples and cantaloupes, was associated with a lower likelihood of depression.
The researchers say fruits are rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory micronutrients, such as vitamin C, carotenoids and flavonoids, which have been shown to reduce oxidative stress and prevent inflammatory processes in the body, potentially influencing the development of depression.
It turns out that vegetable consumption was not associated with the likelihood of experiencing depressive symptoms. The researchers said their findings provided “valuable insights” into the potential benefits of eating enough fruit for alleviating depressive symptoms later in life.
Lead researcher Professor Koh Won Puay from the National University of Singapore’s Faculty of Medicine said: “Our study highlights the importance of fruit consumption as a preventive measure against age-related depression. In our study group, participants who ate at least three servings of fruit were able to significantly reduce the likelihood of developing age-related depression by at least 21 per cent compared to those who ate one serving of fruit per day.”