02/09/2026
A new study of 32,000+ women found citrus helps support mood through the gut-brain connection. 🍊🍋
Women with the highest citrus intake had a 22% lower risk of depression compared to those who ate the least. But the researchers didn’t stop there, they also discovered how this works.
Citrus fruits (like oranges and grapefruit) increase the abundance of a key gut microbe called Faecalibacterium prausnitzii. This microbe produces compounds that enhance serotonin and dopamine availability in the gut: two neurotransmitters essential for emotional well-being.
In fact, F. prausnitzii was consistently lower in people with depression, across two independent cohorts. And the more citrus people consumed, the more this microbe thrived.
What you eat feeds the bacteria that shape your thoughts, feelings, and resilience.
DOI: 10.1186/s40168-024-01961-3