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How the Study Was Conducted<\/p>\nOne everyday drink may be linked to lower depression scores, a new study suggests.<\/p>\n
Nearly 48 million Americans were suffering from depression in 2025, according to Gallup research. While a growing body of evidence suggests diet can play a role in mental well-being, researchers in the U.K. have identified a potential link between one everyday drink and lower depression scores.<\/p>\n
A study from Newcastle University found that adults who drank a daily glass of 100 percent fruit juice or a smoothie while increasing their fruit and vegetable intake reported lower depression scores after four weeks. The researchers say the findings are promising, but caution that more research is needed before fruit juice could be considered a strategy for improving mental health.<\/p>\n
Read More on Food & Drink<\/p>\n
The peer-reviewed study, published in the British Journal of Nutrition and funded by the Fruit Juice Science Centre, involved 42 participants who typically ate relatively few fruits and vegetables.<\/p>\n
How the Study Was Conducted<\/p>\n
Participants received support to increase their fruit and vegetable intake. Some were also asked to include one glass of fruit juice or a smoothie each day as they worked toward the recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables per day.<\/p>\n
After four weeks, both groups had increased the amount of fruit and vegetables they consumed. However, those who included fruit juice or a smoothie also reported lower depression scores.<\/p>\n
Researchers assessed mood using validated questionnaires designed to measure symptoms of anxiety and depression. Participants who consumed fruit juice and smoothies alongside whole fruit had depression scores that were 2.52 points lower on a 27-point scale than those in the control group. The researchers described the difference as modest but statistically significant.<\/p>\n
Dr. Anthony Watson, principal investigator in the Human Nutrition and Exercise Research Centre, told Newsweek that it is an “interesting possibility” that juice can improve mental health.<\/p>\n
Watson said: “Juices and smoothies can provide relatively concentrated and readily available sources of compounds such as vitamin C and flavonoids, <\/a>which have been linked with brain health and may influence pathways related to inflammation, oxidative stress and brain function.”<\/p>\n Why Might Juice Affect Mood?<\/p>\n To better understand the findings, Newsweek also spoke to Dr. Noura Filali, a London-based medical doctor who was not involved in the study.<\/p>\n She said: “One possibility is the greater availability of polyphenols and flavonoids, particularly in citrus-based juices. These compounds have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects and may also influence blood vessel function and cerebral blood flow.”<\/p>\n Previous research <\/a>has found that drinking a flavanone-rich citrus juice in amounts people would normally consume may temporarily boost blood flow to the brain and provide some short-term cognitive benefits.<\/p>\n Filali told Newsweek there may also be a gut-brain connection.<\/a><\/p>\n “Smoothies retain much of the fiber and polyphenols found in whole fruit, which feed and interact with our gut bacteria,” she said. “This can influence the production of metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids, which are involved in inflammation, immune function and communication between the gut and the brain.”<\/p>\n As these pathways are increasingly implicated in depression, it is plausible that changes in the gut microbiome could contribute to the mood effects seen in the study, Filali said, although the researchers did not directly test this mechanism.<\/p>\n Researchers found that both intervention groups increased their daily fiber intake by an estimated 8 to 10 grams. This suggests that adding juice did not prevent participants from increasing their consumption of other fiber-rich fruits and vegetables.<\/p>\n No Adverse Effects Found<\/p>\n Despite concerns about the sugar content of fruit juice, the researchers found no adverse effects on metabolic health markers among participants who consumed fruit juice or smoothies during the four-week study.<\/p>\n Filali said another explanation could be that nutrients are absorbed more easily when fruit is blended or juiced.<\/p>\n “Another theory is bioavailability. Blending or juicing breaks down the structure of fruit, which may make some nutrients and phytochemicals easier to release and absorb,” she said.<\/p>\n She explained how fruit also provides nutrients such as vitamin C and folate, which are involved in brain function, oxidative stress and neurotransmitter pathways.<\/p>\n Dr. Oliver Shannon, lecturer in nutrition and aging at Newcastle University and one of the study’s senior authors, said the findings warrant further investigation.<\/p>\n “Our study shows that drinking a daily glass of fruit juice or a smoothie <\/a>could be part of the solution and help people reach five-a-day fruit and vegetable targets,” Shannon said in a statement.<\/p>\n “The finding that fruit juice drinkers had reduced depression scores is promising and worthy of further exploration, particularly in individuals experiencing poor mental well-being. <\/p>\n “It backs up studies which report improved brain blood flow and cognitive function after people drink citrus juices. Simple dietary changes\u2014like increasing fruit intake, including through a daily glass of juice\u2014could play a role in supporting mental well-being.”<\/p>\n References<\/strong><\/p>\n Courtney Neal, Georg Lietz, Kirsten Brandt, Anthony William Watson, Oliver Michael Shannon. Including fruit juice and smoothies within 5-a-day fruit and vegetable intake recommendations: a randomised controlled trial investigating impact on levels of intake, mood and markers of health. British Journal of Nutrition, 2026; 1 DOI: 10.1017\/S0007114526107569<\/a><\/p>\n Lamport DJ, Pal D, Macready AL, et al. The effects of flavanone-rich citrus juice on cognitive function and cerebral blood flow: an acute, randomised, placebo-controlled cross-over trial in healthy, young adults. British Journal of Nutrition. 2016;116(12):2160-2168. doi:10.1017\/S000711451600430X<\/p>\n Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Charlotte Nisbet<\/a> and Emma Lee-Sang<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"One everyday drink may be linked to lower depression scores, a new study suggests. 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