]Eating an orange a day may lower a person's depression risk by 20%, according to a study published in Microbiome. That might be because citrus stimulates the growth of Faecalibacterium prausnitzii (F. prausnitzii), a type of bacteria found in the human gut, to influence production of the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine—two biological molecules known to elevate mood.

Summary

A Harvard-led study published in Microbiome found that eating one orange a day may reduce depression risk by 20%.

The research links citrus consumption to increased levels of Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, a gut bacterium associated with higher serotonin and dopamine production, which can boost mood.

The findings were confirmed in both women and men. While not a replacement for antidepressants, citrus may play a role in mental health strategies.

Researchers hope to conduct clinical trials to further explore the connection between diet and mental health.

  • over_clox@lemmy.worldEnglish
    9·
    2 days ago

    Let’s not forget, orange juice is like $11 a gallon in some places these days. It’s cheaper to drink gasoline now.

    No, don’t drink gasoline.

    • crank0271@lemmy.worldEnglish
      12·
      2 days ago

      Orange juice, unless it’s freshly squeezed, is about as far from eating an orange as could be.

      • over_clox@lemmy.worldEnglish
        31·
        2 days ago

        You’re probably not wrong, but honestly I haven’t seen anyone either eat an orange or drink orange juice in over 10 years.

          • over_clox@lemmy.worldEnglish
            2·
            2 days ago

            I don’t understand the question. What is happy?

            Everyone is sad these days, happy doesn’t exist anymore. And if it somehow does still exist, they can afford oranges and eggs.

                • Flagstaff@programming.devEnglish
                  2·
                  1 day ago

                  Shoot. Thanks. I wish there was something more recent about this, though… A lot has happened in 15 years…

                • Flagstaff@programming.devEnglish
                  4·
                  2 days ago

                  Oh. Well, for me, I suppose it’s about feeling okay with your current life situation and where you currently stand in relation to your hopes and dreams, in conjunction with not letting the problems of the world dampen your mood. It’s okay to have questions, including unanswerable ones. We can only do so much, so it’s vital to not press ourselves to try to do more than we can. (Needless to say, this all assumes that living is generally a good thing and therefore that stress should generally be reduced when possible.)

      • over_clox@lemmy.worldEnglish
        2·
        2 days ago

        No, I do not recommend drinking diesel either.

        But that does raise the question of the price of cooking oil…

  • celeste@kbin.earth
    8·
    2 days ago

    Neat! I hope they get to do further trials. I’m wondering about possible other explanations, like greater citrus availability in places with more sunny days, or whatever.

    it’d be cool to find out for sure this is true.

  • witty_username@feddit.nlEnglish
    61·
    2 days ago

    Lol isn’t this simply confounded by the ultra Arnold Schwarzenegger level of effort it takes to prepare an orange?
    I.e. it takes a very motivated and determined person to peel an orange and those people tend to be less depressed

    • iAvicenna@lemmy.worldEnglish
      2·
      1 day ago

      Yea it is more possibly a correlation turned to a causation by skillful science communication

    • MunkyNutts@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      2 days ago

      Simple way to eat them, cut from pole to pole into quarters, take a quarter, bite down close to the rind/peel, and then peel the rind off from one pole to the other while still biting the fruit, then nibble off the remaining fruit left on the peel. It’s a little messy with the juice, but so much easier and quicker to eat.

  • ShirashoEnglish
    32·
    2 days ago

    Cool. Let me know when the acidity won’t burn a hole through my stomach.