Research Links Kiwi To Elevated Mood Levels — Here's What You Need To Know

We often decide which foods are healthiest for us based on their nutrient profile and their impact on various physical factors, like immune system support and gut health maintenance. However, plenty of star players are top-notch for overall mental health—they, too, deserve some time on center stage.

In this 2013 study1, students added either half or two gold kiwifruits a day to their diet (a fruit rich in vitamin C), and the results indicate that those in the two-kiwifruit-per-day group had an improved overall mood, researchers say. More specifically, a decrease in total mood disturbance (i.e., a measure of overall negative mood) and an increase in vigor (i.e., energy and enthusiasm) were observed at the end of the study. 

What's causing these specific responses, you ask? Well, vitamin C is found in high concentrations in the brain3. Neurons (nerve cells) and glia (a network of cells that supports the nervous system) rely on the adequate and regulated absorption and transfer of vitamin C. Vitamin C is also critical for synthesizing neurotransmitters, including norepinephrine, which plays a role in mood regulation.* All of this science speak essentially means: Your brain really loves (and needs) vitamin C, so it's important to get enough.

So how much vitamin C should you ingest? Well, there are about 130 milligrams of vitamin C per gold kiwifruit, meaning each participant who ate two kiwifruits per day consumed about 260 milligrams of vitamin C each day. Of course, while kiwi is a stellar source of this antioxidant nutrient, we can't silo the health benefits of a whole food like kiwifruit to just vitamin C (after all, kiwi offers an array of macro-, micro-, and phytonutrients).