Related: The health benefits of taking care of plants

Plants not only beautify indoor spaces but also stimulate positive emotions akin to interacting with pets, attributed to biophilia, our innate affinity for living things. Hall highlights the role of plants in reducing stress by lowering cortisol levels and improving mood, along with other benefits such as enhanced memory retention and greater life satisfaction.

indoor plants offer benefits like stress reduction and improved memory. Low-maintenance options like succulents and philodendrons thrive indoors, requiring minimal care.

For those wary of plant maintenance, there are numerous low-maintenance options like succulents, philodendrons, pothos, and dracaenas, which thrive indoors and brighten up spaces with minimal effort. It’s crucial to place plants away from drafty areas to prevent drying out. Hall encourages individuals to embrace the benefits of plants, regardless of their gardening skills, as they offer advantages irrespective of their longevity.

Source: Texas A&M

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By Mohani Niza

Caring for a plant has emerged as a powerful solution to the stresses of modern life. A growing body of scientific evidence shows the various health benefits associated with nurturing plants, including reducing stress and improving air quality, and boosting mood and enhancing overall well-being.

Stress reduction and mental well-being

Life’s demands can take a toll on mental health, leading to stress, anxiety, and even depression. Engaging with plants has been linked to reduced levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, in the body. The act of tending to plants, from watering to pruning, provides a mindful escape from the hustle and bustle, fostering a sense of calm and tranquillity.

A study published in the Journal of Physiological Anthropology found that interacting with indoor plants can lead to lower levels of psychological and physiological stress. The presence of greenery has also been associated with improved concentration and productivity.

Improved air quality

Plants absorb pollutants and release oxygen through the process of photosynthesis. Indoor air quality is often compromised by pollutants emitted from everyday items like furniture, carpets, and electronic devices. Common indoor plants, such as spider plants, peace lilies, and snake plants, have been shown to filter out harmful substances like benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene.

The NASA Clean Air Study identified a range of plants that excel at removing indoor air pollutants, providing a natural and cost-effective means of enhancing air quality. Cleaner air is not only beneficial for respiratory health but also contributes to better overall cognitive function, creating a healthier indoor environment.

Mood enhancement and emotional well-being

The presence of plants has a remarkable impact on emotional well-being. Studies have shown that individuals surrounded by greenery report lower levels of feelings such as sadness and anxiety. The vibrant colours and organic shapes of plants stimulate the release of dopamine, the “feel-good” neurotransmitter, contributing to an uplifted mood.

Caring for a plant creates a sense of responsibility and accomplishment, boosting self-esteem and providing a meaningful daily routine. The act of nurturing a living organism can be particularly beneficial for individuals experiencing loneliness or depression, offering a purposeful connection to the natural world.

Physical health benefits

Gardening, in particular, has been associated with various physical health benefits. Digging, planting, and weeding can contribute to increased physical activity, promoting cardiovascular health and muscle strength.

A study published in the Journal of Aging and Physical Activity found that gardening can be an effective way for older adults to meet recommended daily exercise targets. The combination of physical activity, exposure to sunlight, and the therapeutic aspects of gardening work together to promote a healthier lifestyle.

In conclusion, from stress reduction and improved air quality to mood enhancement and physical well-being, cultivating a relationship with plants offers a holistic approach to health.

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A new study adds to the growing body of evidence that fermented foods have health benefits, including mental health benefits.

APC Mircobiome Ireland researchers discovered that eating more fermented foods and fibre daily for four weeks had a significant effect on lowering perceived stress levels.

According to researcher John Cryan, Vice President for Research and Innovation at University College Cork, the mechanisms underlying the effect of diet on mental health could be via the relationship between our brain and our microbiome. The study confirms previous research findings that diet has a significant impact on a person’s mental health.

Cryan stated in his article published in November on the WeForum website that the mechanisms underlying the effect of diet on mental health are still not fully understood.

He suggested that this association could be due to the gut-brain axis, or the relationship between the human brain and the trillions of bacteria that live in the gut. This allows the brain and gut to communicate constantly, allowing essential body functions such as digestion and appetite to occur. It also implies that our brain’s emotional and cognitive centers are closely linked to the gut.

While previous research has linked stress and behavior to our microbiome, it has been unclear whether changing diets – and thus the microbiome – could have a distinct effect on stress levels, Cryan said.

This was the goal of their research, according to Cryan. To put this to the test, the researchers gathered 45 healthy people between the ages of 18 and 59 who ate low-fibre diets. More than half of the participants were female. The participants were divided into two groups and randomly assigned a diet to follow for the duration of the four-week study.

Around half of the participants were assigned to a diet developed by nutritionist Dr. Kirsten Berding, known as a “psychobiotic” diet or one high in prebiotic and fermented foods, which has been linked to improved mental health.

At the beginning and halfway through the study, this group received one-on-one education from a dietitian. They were told to aim for 6-8 servings of prebiotic fiber-rich fruits and vegetables per day, such as onions, leeks, cabbage, apples, bananas, and oats, 5-8 servings of grains per day, and 3-4 servings of legumes per week. They were also instructed to consume 2-3 servings of fermented foods on a daily basis, such as sauerkraut, kefir, and kombucha. Participants on the control diet only received general dietary advice based on the food pyramid for healthy eating.

Surprisingly, those who followed the psychobiotic diet felt less stressed than those who followed the control diet. Furthermore, both groups’ sleep quality reportedly improved, though those on the psychobiotic diet reported greater improvements in sleep.

The psychobiotic diet had little effect on the composition and function of gut microbes. The levels of certain key chemicals produced by these gut microbes, on the other hand, changed dramatically. Some of these chemicals have been linked to mental health, which could explain why diet participants felt less stressed, Cryan said.

The findings suggest that certain diets, specifically those that target microbes in the gut, have the potential to reduce perceived stress levels.

Despite the study’s limitations, Cryan believes it provides promising evidence that diet can help reduce stress. He adds that it will be interesting to see if these findings can be replicated in people suffering from stress-related disorders like anxiety and depression.

Sources:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4058509/

https://bit.ly/3Cf42xq

Are you interested to try probiotic coffee or tea? Researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) have created new probiotic coffee and tea drinks that not only have great taste but can be stored chilled or at room temperature for more than 14 weeks without compromising on their probiotic viability.

The rise in veganism, along with common health issues like lactose intolerance, high cholesterol, and allergies to dairy proteins, such as those in traditional probiotic carriers like yoghurts and cultured milks have stimulated the trend in non-dairy probiotic food and beverages.

“Coffee and tea are two of the most popular drinks around the world, and are both plant-based infusions. As such, they act as a perfect vehicle for carrying and delivering probiotics to consumers,” said Associate Professor Liu Shao Quan from the Department of Food Science and Technology at the NUS Faculty of Science.

“Most commercially available probiotic coffee and tea drinks are unfermented but two of our students have successfully created a new range of these beverages using the fermentation process as it produces healthy compounds that improve nutrient digestibility while retaining the health benefits associated with coffee and tea.”

Each serving of probiotic tea and probiotic coffee contains at least 1 billion units of live probiotics, the daily amount recommended by the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics, Professor Liu added.

To create the probiotic coffee drink, doctoral student Alcine Chan added specially selected nutrients to brewed coffee, followed by carefully chosen probiotics. The coffee mixture is left to ferment for a day, and placed in the refrigerator following probiotic fermentation. Sugar and milk can be added to the chilled probiotic coffee before consumption if so desired.

Some of the probiotic coffee prototypes give better-balanced acidity, some give better mouthfeels, some have deeper smoky flavours, and some can retain the coffee flavour better after long-term storage, Chan said, but the caffeine content is retained, so people who consume coffee for caffeine can still get their fix.

The probiotic coffee also kept the chlorogenic acid content, which has been linked to a lot of the health benefits of coffee.

Meanwhile the probiotic tea drink was created by doctoral student Wang Rui, who added nutrients into a tea infusion, followed by a careful selection of specific probiotics. The tea mixture is left to ferment for two days, after which it is ready to drink.

Any kind of brewed tea can be used in this process, and throughout the fermentation process, the original flavour of the tea is largely retained, with fruity and floral notes introduced.

Many health benefits of tea, such as its antioxidant or anti-inflammatory properties, have been linked to it containing ‘polyphenol’ molecules. By using the patented fermentation process, the polyphenol contents from the tea are retained, and an additional antibacterial agent (phenyllactate) is produced after fermentation. The drink also contains live probiotics which promote gut health.

Read: Coffee, herbal tea may protect against liver fibrosis