Health Benefits of Vegetables

Eatingvegetables provides incredible health benefits. People who eat more vegetables as part of an overall healthy diet are likely to have a reduced risk of some chronic diseases. Vegetables provide nutrients vital for health and maintenance of your body. Here are the most important health benefits of vegetables – and there are many!

      1.      Prevent Cancer

Cabbage, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and broccoli have very high amounts of indoles and isothiocyanates. These components have protective properties against colon cancer, breast cancer, skin cancer, etc. Broccoli sprouts have higher sulforaphane than the matured broccolis, which is a cancer-protective substance. Moreover, since vegetables are great antioxidants, they also alleviate the chances of fatal diseases like cancer.

      2.      Veggies are a Dieter’s Best Friend

Vegetablesget top billing on any fat-control diet because most are “free foods”.This means that you can eat an unlimited amount without having to count the calories. This is all because of a little biochemical quirk that only veggies enjoy - the body uses almost as many calories to digest vegetables as there are in vegetables in the first place. For example, you’ll use up most of the 26 calories in a tomato just chewing, swallowing, and digesting it. The leftover calories don’t even have a chance of being stored in a fat cell. You’d have to eat entire platefuls of most vegetables before the calories begin to add up.

3.      Weight Management

Low in net carbs and high in fiber, eating plenty of vegetables can help you lose your weight in many ways. Simply cutting net carbs and increasing your fiber intake may actually help you achieve results rivaling many other diets. Previous research has demonstrated that fiber has appetite-suppressant qualities that helps you feel more satiated, therefore preventing unhealthy snacking. Fiber also helps improve metabolic markers such as blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and blood sugar. It also helps protect your heart and cardiovascular health, and appears to reduce mortality in general.

4.      Relieve Stress

Eating fruits and vegetables may significantly improve emotional well-being among young adults. They are known to naturally relieve stress and depression and boost the mood as well. Research suggests that good mood may lead to a greater preference for healthy foods overindulgent foods. Kale is a great vegetable that enlightens your mood and helps you relax.The energy in vegetables is in the form of complex carbohydrates. These take some time to digest and do not cause the blood sugar highs and lows.

5.      Athletic Performance and Recovery

Nutrition is extremely important for athletic performance. Specific veggies shown to boost endurance and speed up recovery include beetroot juice, tomato juice, and watercress. As reported earlier, one study found that drinking 16 ounces of organic beetroot juice daily for six days helped men cycle up to 16 percent longer than they did with a placebo beverage. Meanwhile, tomato juice has been found to reduce exercise-induced stress on the body by as much as 84 percent.

6.      Vegetables are Fat-free and Cholesterol-free 

All vegetables by definition are cholesterol-free and fat-free. Over 95 percent of vegetables contain less than a gram of fat per serving, and even that insignificant gram is mostly unsaturated fats.

7.      Prevent Hypertension

Recent research suggests that Mediterranean diet comprising of food rich in unsaturated fats found in olive oil and nuts, nitrite and nitrate found in leafy green vegetables, may help protect you from high blood pressure.

The nutrients in vegetables are crucial for health and maintenance of your body in general. Eating a diet rich in vegetables may reduce risk for stroke, cancer, heart diseases and type-2 diabetes. One to four cups of vegetables are recommended daily, depending on how many calories you need. There is a lot to say about vegetables so make sure to go out and have an adventure in a produce aisle - your body will thank you!