Eating a couple of tomatoes a week could be enough to cut your risk of depression in half, a new study reveals.
Researchers looked at the mental health records and diets of 986 people aged over 70. They found those who regularly ate tomatoes were less likely to suffer depression,
Medical Daily reported.
Results, published in the Journal for Affective Disorders, found people who ate tomatoes two to six time a week were 64 per cent less likely to get depression than those who munched on them less than once a week.
Participants who ate some tomato products every day managed to cut their depression risk by 52 per cent. Other fruits and vegetables don't have the same impact, the researchers said.
The team of scientists, led by Dr Kaijun Niu from China's Tiankin Medical University, wanted to see if tomatoes - rich in antioxidants that can protect against disease - also had mental health benefits.
