After knowing the benefits of vegetables, you will not stop eating them

You know you're supposed to eat enough veggies. But I bet you are not! 84% of people do not eat the 4.5 cups of the recommended vegetables per day. Most of us eat while jogging which makes eating veggies difficult. But I bet if you understand why increasing your vegetable intake is important, you may put in a bit more effort. Read on for information on the health benefits of the vegetable.

• The nutrients in vegetables

Vegetables are low in calories and carbohydrates and rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals to fight disease. It is also an excellent source of antioxidants that help neutralize harmful free radicals. This prevents oxidative damage and inflammation, both of which can contribute to heart disease and diabetes. The nutritional content of vegetables depends on the type of vegetable chosen. Your best bet is to eat a rainbow of vegetables to get an array of nutrients.

• The health benefits of vegetables

  

Your grandmother was right when she asked you to increase your vegetable intake. The health benefits are endless. Here are some of the most important ones: 

• Reduces inflammation

  

Chronic inflammation is associated with obesity and insulin resistance, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease), psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease, and rheumatoid arthritis - to name a few. The Western diet (high in fat, sugar, processed foods and low in fiber) is thought to play a role in increasing chronic inflammation. The traditional Mediterranean diet, which contains an abundance of fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, fatty fish and healthy fats, has been shown to have an anti-inflammatory effect in the body. Vegetables are an important component of this diet. It's mail

Choose: Green leafy vegetables including kale, spinach, collard greens, and Swiss chard contain powerful antioxidants, flavonoids, carotenoids, and vitamin C - all of which help protect against cellular damage. Choose locally grown, organic vegetables in season when possible.

• Improves the health of the gut microbiome

  

Good and Bad Bacteria: The gut microbiome plays a large role in health. It regulates overall health, immune system, metabolism, energy, body weight, mood, food choices, nervous system, heart health, diabetes risk, metabolic syndrome, osteoporosis, mental health, allergies, etc. A healthy gut is one that contains a good balance of bacteria as well as diversity. Modern lifestyles and the Western diet (high in fat and sugar, processed foods and low in fiber) - are thought to play a role in reducing good bacteria and overall diversity. High-fiber foods, especially certain types of fiber and resistant starches called prebiotics, play a major role in maintaining the balance of gut bacteria. Many vegetables are an excellent source of prebiotics. Eating healthy plant foods can change your gut bacteria for the better in just a few days!
Choose: A variety of vegetables, especially vegetables rich in prebiotics, including Jerusalem artichoke, onion, dandelion, garlic, leeks, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, bok choy, Brussels sprouts, mustard greens, turnip, mushrooms, asparagus, eggplant, radishes, and sea vegetables such as seaweed, spirulina and other seaweed. See my previous post on prebiotics for the full list. Also choose fermented vegetables rich in probiotics, as well as sauerkraut.

• It helps in weight management

  

 Vegetables help in weight management through several mechanisms:
- Low in calories and carbohydrates. Compare a cup of rice for 240 calories / 45g of carbs with a cup of cauliflower rice for 25 kcal / 5g of carbs.

Rich in fiber and water, making you feel full for longer.

Take up a lot of space in your stomach to make you feel full.

Fiber contains prebiotics and feeds the "good" bacteria in the intestine. Certain types of bacteria can aid in weight management while others may lead to weight gain.

Choose: all types of cooked and raw vegetables - especially non-starchy.

• It reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes

  

New research indicates that the more plant foods you eat, the lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. This is thought to be due to the effect of antioxidants that reduce insulin resistance and / or inflammation. The review of nine nutrition studies (including more than 300,000 people) showed an approximately 30% reduction in the risk of developing type 2 diabetes - for people who ate a "healthy" vegan diet, including vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, and whole Legumes. These foods contain fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other beneficial compounds. Keep in mind that this review includes "healthy vegetarian diets". So while vegetables were an important ingredient, they weren't the only ingredient. Other studies have shown that vegetables rich in magnesium help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Choose a variety of vegetables, especially magnesium-rich leafy greens

• It reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke

  

Vegetables contain a variety of plant compounds that play an important role in heart health, including lowering cholesterol, improving blood vessel performance, lowering blood pressure and reducing inflammation. This review showed that 10 servings of fruits and vegetables a day reduced the risk of cardiovascular disease by 28% and the risk of early death by 31%.
Choose: A variety of vegetables to get all the heart-healthy benefits. Of particular interest:
Green leafy vegetables, cruciferous vegetables (such as broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower), and green and yellow vegetables (such as green beans, carrots, and peppers). These are rich in carotenoids, which act as antioxidants and free your body from potentially harmful compounds. They are also rich in fiber and contain tons of vitamins and minerals. Kale also contains some omega-3 fatty acids. Green leafy vegetables are rich in vitamin K and nitrates, which can help lower blood pressure and improve arterial function.
Tomatoes are rich in lycopene and have been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease and stroke, as well as an increase in "good" HDL cholesterol.
Vegetables rich in soluble fiber including okra, eggplant, carrots, asparagus, artichokes, brussels sprouts and broccoli help lower harmful cholesterol.

• It lowers blood pressure

  

High blood pressure or high blood pressure refers to the pressure of blood against the walls of arteries. Over time, high blood pressure can damage blood vessels that lead to heart disease, kidney disease and stroke. High blood pressure is sometimes called a silent killer because it produces no symptoms and can go unnoticed - and without treatment - for years.
Eating vegetables (and fruits) has been shown to help lower blood pressure, and the benefits come from fiber, vitamins, and minerals like potassium and magnesium. Potassium is especially important because it balances the negative effect of salt, which helps lower blood pressure. Vegetables are an important part of the DASH diet. Following the DASH diet for two weeks can lower your systolic blood pressure (the highest number in your blood pressure reading) by 8-14 points. The DASH diet recommends 4-5 servings of vegetables per day.
Choose: leafy vegetables rich in potassium and include: romaine lettuce, watercress, turnip, turnip greens, collard greens, spinach, green beets, Swiss chard

• Reduces insulin resistance

Several studies have found that eating a diet rich in plant compounds is associated with higher insulin sensitivity. In particular, colorful fruits and vegetables are rich in plant compounds that have antioxidant properties. Antioxidants bind to and neutralize molecules called free radicals, which can cause harmful infections throughout the body. Additionally, several studies have found a link between high-soluble fiber intake and an increased insulin sensitivity. Reference insulin resistance
vegetables reduce insulin resistance in several ways:
- Rich in fiber and antioxidants, both of which improve insulin resistance.
Non-starchy vegetables have a minimal effect on blood sugar and insulin levels.
May aid weight management
- Improve gut microbiome health.
A major component of the Mediterranean Diet, it has been linked to decreased insulin resistance.
Choose a variety of colorful vegetables including tomatoes, spinach, red, green, red, and orange peppers, vegetables like spinach, kale, and kale, and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts. For vegetables rich in soluble fiber, see the section above.

• Improves bone health

  

Vegetables play an important role in bone health. Not only can they be a good source of calcium, but they also provide other nutrients important for bone health including magnesium, potassium, vitamin K, and vitamin C. Additionally, fruits and vegetables can help in having an alkalizing effect on the body. Acid-forming foods, such as meat, fish, eggs and grains, may increase calcium loss in the body. Plant foods have an alkalizing effect. This relationship may explain the reported beneficial effect of fruits and vegetables on bone health. The harmful effect of dietary acidity on the skeleton is relatively small, but the small effect may have a large effect over time. The reference: Bear in mind, if you don't consume dairy products (or products like fortified nut milk), it can be difficult - but not impossible - to meet your calcium needs through plants.
CHOICE:
Rich in Vitamin K: Contains some dark green leafy vegetables like cabbage, collard greens, spinach, mustard greens, turnip greens, and Brussels sprouts.
Rich in potassium: Products include tomatoes and spinach
Rich in magnesium: Includes spinach, beets, okra, tomato products, artichokes, bananas, potatoes, sweet potatoes, collard greens and.
Rich in vitamin C: includes red peppers, green peppers, broccoli, strawberries, brussels sprouts, etc.

• Supports eye health

  

Lutein and zeaxanthin are powerful antioxidants that defend your body against unstable molecules called free radicals. Eating foods rich in lutein and zeaxanthin reduces the development of age-related macular degeneration and cataracts.
Choose: kale, parsley, spinach, broccoli, peas, and carrots. Red peppers and zucchini are also sources.

• Improves brain health

  

The MIND diet means a Mediterranean-DASH intervention to delay neurodegeneration. It's a combination of the DASH diet and the Mediterranean diet. The study, published in the journal Alzheimer's & Dementia, looked at more than 900 people between the ages of 58 and 98 who filled out diet questionnaires and underwent frequent neurological tests

- and found that participants whose diets closely followed MIND's recommendations had a level of cognitive function equivalent to someone younger. 7.5 years old
- Alzheimer's disease is reduced by 35 to 53% on the MIND Diet.
Choose: Six or more servings of the week provide the biggest benefits for the brain - especially kale, spinach, broccoli, cabbage and other greens rich in vitamins A and C and other nutrients.

• In the end

  

  
  

You may have heard the saying "food is medicine" by Hippocrates. Well, I will say that vegetables are one of the most effective natural "medicines" you can take.

I hope this post convinced you to eat more veggies! Stay tuned for my upcoming information on ways to have more vegetables as well as ways to make them less boring.