THE ESSENTIAL
- 9 out of 10 students are stressed during the year, according to the Heyme survey published in 2020.
- 27% of them admit to being stressed all the time by their studies.
- 61% of students are stressed by their orientation. Emotional and financial problems both worry 17% of students.
More than 8 out of 10 French students say they are anxious about exam periods, according to a survey carried out by Heyme in 2020. To relieve the mental load of homework and lessons, it would be enough to add a few nuts to your diet every day . Here is the discovery of scientists from the University of South Australia, published in the journal Nutrients.
Half a cup of walnuts for less stress
During this experiment, the researchers brought together 80 undergraduate students. They were divided into two groups: the volunteers of the first had to consume a portion of nuts (approximately 56 g) per day for 16 weeks while those of the second continued their normal diet.
Their level of stress and anxiety was assessed three times: at the beginning of the semester, during the exam period and then two weeks later.
“We found that those who ate about half a cup of nuts each day showed improvements in self-reported mental health indicators. Walnut eaters also showed improved metabolic biomarkers and overall sleep quality over time. term”explained the authors of the study.
Unlike the students who didn’t snack on dried fruit, the stress and depression levels of the “nut eaters” didn’t increase until finals. They also reported a significant decrease in feelings associated with depression between the first and last visit compared to the control group.
Nuts: a handful of vitamins and trace elements
100 g of walnuts represent on average 700 Kcal. This serving also contains 6.88 g of carbohydrates, 9.32 g of fiber, 4.71 g of protein and 4 g of water. Fruits are known to be rich in omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants. They are also packed with melatonin (sleep-inducing hormone), polyphenols, and vitamins K and E, all of which promote brain and gut health.
“We have shown that consuming nuts during times of stress can improve the mental health and general well-being of university students – in addition to being a healthy and delicious snack and a versatile ingredient found in many recipes – and help to fight against certain negative effects of school stress”specifies Pr Larisa Bobrovskaya, co-lead author in her presentation published on December 14, 2022. However, it acknowledges that further research is needed to confirm the results and eliminate some possible biases such as a placebo effect.