<i>Good reason to eat greens</i>

People who eat plenty of fruit and vegetables tend to be more optimistic about the future, new research suggests.
Scientists have discovered that optimistic folk have higher levels of plant compounds called carotenoids in their blood.
A commonly-known carotenoid is beta-carotene, a pigment found in high levels in orange fruit and veg and green, leafy vegetables.
Scientists have discovered that optimistic folk have higher levels of plant compounds called carotenoids - found in orange produce and green, leafy vegetables - in their blood.
Previous studies have shown that high blood levels of antioxidants - of which carotenoids are one form - may be a marker of good health.
Antioxidants help keep other molecules in the body from producing free radicals, which can damage cells and contribute to disease.
One theory is that antioxidants might have a de-stressing effect.
The current study evaluated blood concentrations of nine different antioxidants, including carotenoids such as beta-carotene and vitamin E in nearly 1,000 American men and women ages 25 to 74.
People who ate two or fewer servings of fruits and vegetables a day were significantly less optimistic than people who ate three or more servings a day
Researchers found that people who were more optimistic had up to a 13 percent increase in carotenoid concentrations in their blood compared with people who were less optimistic.
They found that people who ate two or fewer servings of fruits and vegetables a day were significantly less optimistic than people who ate three or more servings a day.