Kiwi consumption boosts mood and vitality in just four days, study finds

The team of scientists, who published their findings in the British Journal of Nutrition, gathered and analysed data from surveys completed by participants as part of an eight-week study focusing on the impact of diet. The survey examined daily fluctuations in vitality, mood, and well-being in 155 adults who initially had low vitamin C levels.

The participants were given either a daily vitamin C supplement, a placebo, or two kiwis. They were then requested to provide reflections on their vitality, mood, sleep quality, sleep duration, and physical activity via a mobile device.

The review of the study outcomes revealed that kiwi supplementation enhanced vitality and mood within four days, with benefits reaching their peak after roughly 14-16 days. Participants also reported improvement in terms of "flourishing" from the 14th day onwards. However, it is worth noting that those taking vitamin C supplements only showed minimal improvement.

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As the researchers discuss in the article, "The data from our study implies that the consumption of kiwis, along with vitamin C supplementation to a lesser degree, can help to improve mood in a comparatively short period (from 4 to 16 days), even among predominantly healthy individuals with good mental health and low levels of vitamin C to start with. Whole food sources like kiwis demonstrated superior and more consistent improvements over time than vitamin C supplementation alone. These improvements were particularly noticeable in individuals who initially had consistently low levels of vitamin C."

Influence of diet on well-being

The impact diet can have on our health is growing increasingly clear.

The study's lead author, Dr. Ben Fletcher, stressed that even among those initially in good mental health, who arguably had less scope for improvement, noticeable benefits were observed from the consumption of either kiwi or vitamin C supplementation. This discovery emphasises how influential diet can be on our mental state in an incredibly short time. Essentially, it applies to everyone!