Can potatoes ease anxiety and depression? 

Fresh Solutions Network, supplier of Side Delights potatoes and onions, is one of many fresh produce companies promoting recent research that shows a link between more vegetables and a better state of mind.

At the American Psychiatric Association’s 2019 Annual Meeting in San Francisco, Dr. Konstantinos Argyropoulos said that people who adhere to a Mediterranean diet — a lot of vegetables, healthy fats, medium amounts of protein, less grains, less dairy, less sugar — are less likely to develop symptoms of depression later on in life, according to a Fresh Solutions news release.

“Potatoes have a high-satiety factor and are extremely versatile — making them the perfect addition to a vegetable-based diet plan that can not only improve overall health but can help relieve depression,” Kathleen Triou, Fresh Solutions president and CEO, said in the release. 

Healthline articles cited studies that showed after clinically depressed participants ate a modified Mediterranean diet for three months, their symptoms were significantly better. 

In the other study, Spanish researchers found people who closely followed the Mediterranean lifestyle were 50% less likely to develop depression than those who didn’t, according to the release.

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