London, Jan 18 (ANI): People who eat plenty of fruits and vegetables tend to be more optimistic about the future, a new study has found.
Scientists have discovered that optimistic folk have higher levels of plant compounds called carotenoids in their blood, the Daily Mail reported.
A commonly-known carotenoid is beta-carotene, a pigment found in high levels in orange fruit and veg and green, leafy vegetables.
Previous studies have shown that high blood levels of antioxidants - of which carotenoids are one form - may be a marker of good health.
Antioxidants help keep other molecules in the body from producing free radicals, which can damage cells and contribute to disease.
"Individuals with greater optimism tended to have greater levels of carotenoids such as beta-carotene," lead investigator Julia Boehm, of the Harvard School of Public Health said.
"This is the first study of its kind to report a relationship between optimism and healthier levels of carotenoid concentrations," she added.
One theory is that antioxidants might have a de-stressing effect.
The study is published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine. (ANI)
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