7: The Magic Number of Fruits and Vegetables to Make You HappierElizabeth Renter Researchers examined the diets and related moods of 80,000 people and found that those who consumed the most fruits and vegetables were happier. The magic number of produce servings to create the best mental benefits: 7. Seven portions of these plant-foods created the happiest people. More servings provided even more benefits. Those who met the ideal 7 servings reportedly had greater life satisfaction in general, greater happiness and mental well-being, less nervousness, mental disorders, and fewer bad moods. Its also important to note for many that fruit and vegetables have been shown to help people quit smoking naturally. Of course, the scientists say this merely shows a link, and not a cause and effect. In other words, it could be that these people were already happier people and the findings show that happy people eat more fruits and vegetables. It could be a case of the chicken and the egg. But, the link is undeniable and suggests that people who suffer from bad moods, unhappiness, and even depression could benefit from getting more fruits and vegetables in their diet. Either way, its important to draw the connection. Fewer than 1 in 10 Americans eat the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables. And the same rate is true in the United Kingdom. In this world of fast, convenient, and nutritionally deplete food, weve made it far easier to eat unhealthy. Try boosting your intake of produce each day. If you dont already, include one or two servings of fruit for breakfastwhether in a smoothie or a fruit salad or parfait. A big salad at lunch time (think variety, not just iceberg lettuce) can pack upwards of 4 to 5 servings. Then, by nightfall, you merely have a few servings to go. Here is an infographic showing which fruit and vegetables are in season, for each season. Eating in season will support local and organic farmers, save you money, and will likely be more healthful. Getting seven servings of fruit and vegetables each dayshouldntbe difficult when you are interested in eating for health. As a matter of fact, seven should only be seen as a starting point. Remember to avoid the dirty dozen the 12 produce containing the most pesticides. This article first appeared at Natural Society, an excellent resource for health news and vaccine information. 