Benefits Of Eating Vegetables Every Day

Nutritionists often disagree, but there is one piece of advice nutritionists agree on: everyone needs to eat more vegetables . The basis of any healthy diet is vegetables , because they contain many nutrients and few calories. Numerous studies show that a diet rich in vegetables helps prevent chronic diseases, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and metabolic syndrome. For your attention, the positive effects that you will feel on yourself if you start eating vegetables every day.

Vegetables reduce the risk of heart disease

A diet rich in vegetables helps reduce blood pressure and the risk of heart disease and stroke. Many studies show that a plant-based diet improves overall heart health. For example, one large-scale study found that people who liked leafy vegetables , including lettuce, spinach, chard, and mustard greens, had a significantly lower risk of heart disease.

Another experiment conducted as part of the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) study showed that nutrients found in vegetables help to significantly lower blood pressure, thereby reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke. The DASH diet involves consuming 4-5 servings of vegetables per day. A serving is 1 cup of raw fruit or ½ cup of prepared or natural juice.

Vegetables support healthy skin

Vegetables literally feed your face. Fruits are packed with nutrients that help the skin stay healthy and reduce damage caused by the negative effects of UV radiation. The main nutrients that protect the skin are beta-carotene, vitamin C and other antioxidants. Vegetables are the best source of these healthy ingredients.

A large observational study of women aged 40 to 74 found that eating foods rich in vitamin C and reducing the amount of fat and sugar in the diet was associated with fewer wrinkles and a more youthful appearance compared to those who ate more fat and carbohydrates and less vitamin C. Eating several servings of vegetables each day can reduce chronic inflammation, thereby slowing the aging process that is responsible for the appearance of wrinkles and loss of skin elasticity.

Vegetables help maintain eye health

Maintaining eye health also consists in protecting against the harmful effects of UV rays.

Vitamins A, C, carotenoids and other phytonutrients contained in fruits strengthen eyesight. Numerous studies show that lutein and zeaxanthin, carotenoids found in many colorful vegetables and leafy greens, help reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration and cataracts.

These nutrients filter UV rays, which are known to increase the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts. Studies of age-related eye diseases have shown that zinc, copper, vitamin C, E, beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin reduce the risk of age-related deterioration of eye health by 25%. Cataracts and AMD are the main causes of vision impairment and blindness, and the risk of these diseases increases rapidly after the age of 65.

Vegetables improve the health of the digestive tract

Vegetables are one of the food groups that contain the most dietary fiber, and fiber helps improve the gut microbiome. The microbiome - the trillions of bacteria in the digestive tract - also plays a very important role in supporting the immune system.

According to the Harvard School of Public Health, a diet high in fiber and plenty of vegetables helps support a healthy microbiome. Dietary fibers are broken down and fermented in the large intestine. Thanks to this fermentation, beneficial short-chain fatty acids are formed.

Although all fruits are useful, onions, leeks, asparagus, Jerusalem artichoke, dandelion greens and seaweed are the best for the health of the digestive tract. These products are especially rich in prebiotic fibers, which help feed the beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract, promoting their growth and reproduction.