Why You Need to Eat More Vegetables.
You know you should be eating your vegetables, but do you know WHY? If you are in the majority of our population (almost 90% adult Australians) who do not consume the recommended minimum amount of 5 servings of vegetables each day – you could be seriously missing out!
Did you know, for instance, that a diet rich in vegetables and fruits can lower blood pressure, reduce risk of heart disease and stroke, prevent some types of cancer, lower risk of eye and digestive problems, and have a positive effect upon blood sugar which can help keep appetite in check and help you reduce stress, increase attentiveness, reduce cravings, increase performance and lose weight? Phew – that is quite a list!
- Low in calories, high in fiber, and with almost all the vitamins and minerals your body needs, vegetables are a nutritional cornerstone.
- The fibre in vegetables is broken down by gut bacteria, which then nourishes your gut and beneficial bacteria, creating a positive cycle.
- Other health benefits include improved complexion, weight management, improved gut health, athletic performance, energy levels, and mental well-being.
Here are some of these points in a little more detail:
High in Fibre
Vegetables are loaded with water and fibre (fibrous cellulose), which cleans the walls of the intestine as it passes through, provides bulk for the stool, and binds toxins for elimination out of the body. Without enough fibre in the diet (and hence, digestive tract), bowel movements – and the consequent elimination of toxins – can be compromised (enter irregular bowel movements, cramping, bloating, even constipation). Sufficient vegetable intake (along with plenty of fresh water) helps to ensure regular bowel movements.
The Ultimate Low-Calorie, Blood-Sugar Stabilizing Food Group
While we never advocate counting calories as a way of monitoring your nutritional intake and overall health. Vegetables are extremely low in calories. A cup of vegetables averages about 50 calories, which is next to nothing.
Breaking down (digesting) the fibres in vegetables takes time, which allows the carbohydrates to be released slowly. This helps keep the blood sugar stable (extremely important in controlling insulin levels). Vegetables are the ultimate low calorie, blood-sugar stabilizing food group.
Abundant Source of Vitamins and Minerals
Vegetables deliver vitamins that the body does not make, including the water-soluble B-complex vitamins, and Vitamin C. The water-soluble vitamins are not stored in the body, so they must be ingested daily. Without adequate amounts of veggies in the diet, many of these vitamins may become deficient.
Vegetables are also a rich source of the fat-soluble vitamins A and K, and some Vitamin E.
Vegetables are also the primary source of minerals in the diet. For instance, an alternative source of calcium for humans can be bountiful intake of green leafy veggies.
Protection Against Chronic Disease
Our modern, Western diet (low fibre, high sugar predominantly processed food) has seen an alarming increase in lifestyle-related disease and illness. Major protective phytonutrients found in vegetables, including flavonoids and carotenoids, have been shown to reduce heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and some cancers.
Vegetables Alkalize your body
Depending on your lifestyle – nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress levels – your body can move between acidic and alkaline states, with a more alkaline state being the preference. Most experts agree that the diet for optimal health should be 1/3 acidic and 2/3 alkaline. Vegetables by their very nature are an alkaline-inducing food. Alkalizing the body helps keep the blood healthy and the lymphatic system moving, maintaining a constant, natural detox.
Improve Gut Health – Nature’s Prebiotics
We all know about probiotics which can be extremely expensive and frankly, a bit hit & miss in their success. In contrast, most probiotic supplements do not encourage the growth of your own flora. They work well only while you take them, but the benefits stop when you discontinue taking them.
Green vegetables are loaded with chlorophyll. Chlorophyll fertilizes the intestinal villi and aids in the proliferation of the good intestinal bacteria, which are essential for digestion, assimilation, detoxification, and intestinal waste removal. This is a natural way to get the probiotic result, without a supplement.
The production of gut flora may be one of the most important factors linked to optimal health. When we take nature’s cue and load our diet with alkalizing veggies, we naturally begin to restore healthy intestinal flora, immediately.
They Taste Amazing
Once you are used to a more abundant amount of vegetable in your diet, you will start to not only enjoy eating vegetables, but actually crave the taste and texture of a big array of vegetables in your regular diet. Yes, really! Also, by varying the preparation method of your veges (raw, steamed, roasted, panfried) you will really start to appeal to the tastebuds.
Hopefully having a god understanding of WHY you need to eat more veg will help you to start to incorporate more of the good stuff into your diet for both you and your family, every day.
For some awesome ways to get more veg into your diet, check out our SSH recipes here.
And while we are on the topic of veg, check out why we believe that you should always eat ‘seasonal’ produce here.
Let us know how you liked this?
Anna & Em xo
* Always eat organic when possible.
