Love it or hate it, Marmite could help fight anxiety

ITS taste divides the nation – but Marmite could help you battle stress and anxiety.

This is because the spread is one of the richest sources of B vitamins, a lack of which is linked to a third of cases of depression.

Australian scientists found that those who eat yeast extract such as Marmite suffer less from stress and anxiety. They called the snack a ‘cheap and easily accessible’ way to improve mood.

The study, by researchers at Victoria University in Melbourne, said: ‘Regular consumption of yeastbased spreads may help to lower the incidence of anxiety and stress in the community.’ Alison Clark, from the British Dietetic Association, advised people to eat it twice a week, and said: ‘We know from previous studies that B vitamins have an important role to play in mental health and wellbeing.’

She added that those who hate Marmite could get the ‘same boost’ from ‘cereals, orange juice and fortified soya milk’.

Researchers asked 520 people more than 70 questions about their consumption of yeast extract, dietary habits and symptoms of anxiety, stress and depression.

An analysis of the results found those who ate spreads like Marmite and vegemite were significantly less anxious and stressed.

More than eight million people suffer from anxiety each year in England, with women twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with related disorders.

The key to the study is believed to be the vitamins B1, B2, B3, B9 and B12 in Marmite, which have a positive effect on neurotransmitters – the ‘chemical messengers’ released by brain cells. A lack of the vitamins has been linked to anxiety, emotional disturbance and changes in brain function.

The study, published in the Journal of Functional Foods, states: ‘There are numerous groups within the community that could benefit from this cheap, easily accessible form of vitamin B ... These include hospitalised patients with decreased appetites, children who are fussy eaters, vegetarians, vegans, elderly people, low-income families and people suffering from drug and alcohol addiction.’

Research published earlier this year found Marmite may help prevent memory problems linked to dementia.

Eating just a teaspoon of Marmite every day for a month was found to cut the brain’s response to visual stimuli by 30 per cent – the sign of a healthy mind.