Health Benefits of Eating Vegetables
The food choices we make every day say a lot about our health. No wonder that the gastronome Brillat de Savarin once said: “Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are.” It is no easier way to stay healthy regardless of age, than by adopting a healthy lifestyle, which must be characterized by plenty of exercises and a healthy diet. Since nature is very generous with us, it is easy to provide our body the essential nutrients, by eating as many fruits and vegetables as possible.
Vegetables are rich in nutrients, but low in calories and are highly recommended for reducing the calories intake and losing weight. Eating vegetables improves the functioning of our digestive system and protect us from developing serious health problems, such as cancer, strokes, and other cardiovascular diseases.
Many research studies show the benefits of consuming vegetables and their influence in having a strong body. It is recommended to eat one to four cups of vegetables daily, depending on the amount of calories you need. By adopting such a diet, we increase our chances to stay away from type two diabetes and other disorders so commonly met today.
Vegetables – a rich source of nutrients
Due to their remarkable nutritional value, vegetables are foods that should not miss from your plate at every meal. Luckily, there are so many ways to eat them either raw or cooked, in order to enjoy the healthiest and most delicious dishes. Vegetables are rich in antioxidants – the key for a healthy body, resistant to the harmful effects of free radicals. Antioxidants found in vegetables help us prevent the growth of cancerous cells and boost the immunity system.
By eating vegetables, we provide our body valuable nutrients, such as potassium, folic acid, vitamins A, E, and C, as well as dietary fibers. Potassium is recommended for maintaining normal levels of blood pressure. It is found in vegetables like white beans, white potatoes, tomato sauce and juice, lima beans, kidney beans and spinach. Eating all these vegetables will protect our cardiovascular system. Dietary fiber is also good for our heart and prevents us from gaining weight.
Onions, chives, leeks, and garlic contain allyl sulfides, effective in reducing blood pressure and protecting the health of the digestive tract and stomach. Almost all vegetables contain vitamin K, an ally of a healthy bone system. Vitamin K contributes to the production of osteocalcin, essential for healthy bones.
Vegetables are a great source of protein and are perfect for those who adopt a vegan diet and for people who want to reduce meat consumption. Among the vegetables that are distinguished by increased protein content, there are soy beans, edamame, lentils, peas, broccoli, asparagus and mung bean sprouts. All these natural foods are delicious, easy to add in different dishes and high in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
The therapeutic properties of vegetables
Vegetables have multiple therapeutic properties that we cannot do without if we want to be healthy and energized. For cancer prevention, it is recommended to eat cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts, and cauliflower, because they contain high amounts of indoles and isothiocyanates.
These two compounds help us prevent different types of cancer, such as colon cancer, breast cancer, and skin cancer. The anticancer properties of vegetables are proven by numerous studies that encourage eating as many vegetables and fruits, in order to protect us from cancer cells growth and their unhealthy multiplication.
Green leafy vegetables help us reduce the risk of diabetes because they are rich in magnesium and have a low glycemic index. Because some vegetables are rich high in dietary fiber, it boosts digestion and prevents chronic constipation, colon cancer, hemorrhoids, and diarrhea. Also, vegetables rich in fibers maintain a feeling of fullness for a longer period to help you lose weight easily.
People who want to lose weight can eat as many vegetables as possible because they have high levels of water and are low in calories. Following a diet rich in vegetables is the key to a healthy body and normal weight. Due to the content of vitamin K, vegetables will protect you from bone problems while nitrite and nitrate will from leafy green vegetables prevent hypertension. Tomatoes are rich in lycopene that protects our eyes from vision problems.
Whether you want to lose weight, to maintain a beautiful skin, to strengthen your hair and to protect your cardiovascular system, there is only one thing you need to do – to eat as many vegetables as you can. Eating a few cups of vegetables a day will change your life because it allows our body to recover and energize.
It is a thousand times better to prevent than to treat. Eating vegetables allows us to prevent many diseases, such as various types of cancers, cardiovascular diseases, bone diseases, diabetes, digestive disorders, and skin diseases. If you eat healthily, we will be healthy and energetic, to fully enjoy every moment of your life.