Gardening has several benefits other than just providing organic produce for your kitchen. Cultivating home-grown and unadulterated fruits and vegetables is the most popular benefit associated with gardening. But what is not known to many is that this activity can offer several other health benefits too. Produce from backyard or community gardens is nutritious and can even keep many chronic diseases at bay.

Read on to know about the other health benefits that gardening offers:

1. Gardening can boost heart health
During the process of gardening, you burn a lot of calories, and this, in turn, boosts the health of the heart. In fact, activities like gardening are considered to be as good as any other form of workout that is supposed to boost the health of your heart.

2. Gardening can reduce stress
One of the most important health benefits of gardening is that it is an effective way of cutting down stress levels. A Dutch study proved the positive effects of gardening in reducing stress levels in the body. The participants of the study were asked to perform a stressful task, and once the task ended, they were told to indulge in gardening activities for 30 minutes. The results of the study showed reduced cortisol (the stress hormone) levels in the body.

3. Gardening boosts sleep quality
Another important health benefit of gardening is that it boosts the quality of sleep. A research study conducted at the University of Pennsylvania established the association between the activities involved in gardening and improved quality of sleep at night.

4. Gardening improves hand strength
Gardening involves a lot of digging, pulling, and planting. So, it is an effective way of increasing hand strength. As we age, our limbs start losing their strength. So, gardening is a good way to keep the hands strong for a long time.

5. Gardening reduces anxiety levels and makes you feel happy
Studies have shown that the presence of M. vaccae, a type of healthy bacteria found in the soil, can boost serotonin levels and bring down anxiety levels. So, when you come in contact with soil while gardening, you tend to feel happier due to inhaling this bacteria.

6. Gardening can help you eat healthier
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only one in ten people eat as many vegetables and fruits as recommended under the Dietary Guidelines. If you grow fruits and vegetables in your garden, you will have access to healthy and fresh produce all the time. If you have a large garden, you can even grow extra veggies and fruits for preservation. You can preserve them through canning, pickling, dehydrating, or freezing so that you have access to homegrown produce even in the off-season. Another advantage of growing your own food is that you can save a lot of money that you would have otherwise spent on buying food from the market.