3 Benefits of Fruits and Vegetables
Vegetables are healthy foods, as they’re rich in essential nutrients and elements that help improve bodily functioning. In this article, we’re going to describe several benefits of fruits and vegetables so you’ll know why you should incorporate them into your diet.
People have been increasingly eating fewer vegetables in recent years, which is a worrying fact. This is mainly due to the increased demand of fast food, as well as the increased price of these natural products.
The benefits of fruits and vegetables
Below, we’re going to discuss the main benefits of fruits and vegetables. In addition, we’ll explain what the experts have to say.
They reduce cardiovascular risk
According to a study published in the International Journal of Epidemiology, their regular consumption is associated with a lower risk of stroke and death. This is due to their vitamin, mineral, and phytonutrient contents.
In fact, experts recommend eating at least five servings of these foods each day, prioritizing vegetables over fruits. In addition, you should try to make sure to eat many different ones in order to guarantee a greater supply of essential nutrients.
Don’t forget that buying frozen vegetables is a healthy option you should consider. As they don’t contain additives, they’re considered healthy and you can regularly incorporate them into your diet.
They may help prevent constipation
Fruits and vegetables are known for being rich in fiber. This substance is capable of preventing constipation, due to the fact that it increases the size of the bolus, which leads to increased peristalsis.
On the other hand, you can’t forget that many of the fibers that vegetables contain have been shown to be beneficial for gut microbiota. According to a study published in Experimental & Molecular Medicine, the pectins found in apples and pears ferment in the digestive tract and become energy sources for the bacteria that inhabit it.
The latest studies suggest that a healthy microbiota leads to improved digestive and immune function. Therefore, it’s important to regularly supply your digestive tract with energy and bacteria.
One of the benefits of fruits and vegetables is that they delay aging
Although aging is inevitable, you can delay its signs with a healthy and balanced diet. In this regard, consuming fruits and vegetables can prove helpful.
Their antioxidant compounds neutralize the production of free radicals. This effect helps to reduce inflammation, which has a positive effect on the body’s external appearance.
Therefore, the regular intake of vegetables helps to delay aging, both from an aesthetic and functional standpoint. However, it’s always best to consume fruits and vegetables raw or with mild cooking methods. Frying them or cooking them for long periods of time could affect their nutrient content and, thus, reduce their properties.
On the other hand, whenever water is used to cook them, you should make sure not to throw out the broth formed. The liquid contains good part of the water-soluble vitamins of the vegetables, and throwing it out would mean losing nutritional value.
Fruits and vegetables are very beneficial foods
All nutritionists recommend a regular consumption of fruits and vegetables, as they’re very healthy foods. For this reason, you must regularly incorporate them into your diet. But the cooking method matters, as well as where they come from; organic options are the best.
Finally, you shouldn’t forget that, in addition to fruits and vegetables, you need to make sure to incorporate other quality fresh foods to your diet, such as meat and fish. These foods provide essential proteins and fats that will complement the effects of the phytonutrients in plant-based foods. Only by eating a varied diet can you ensure proper bodily functioning.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- Aune D, Giovannucci E, Boffetta P, Fadnes LT, Keum N, Norat T, Greenwood DC, Riboli E, Vatten LJ, Tonstad S. Fruit and vegetable intake and the risk of cardiovascular disease, total cancer and all-cause mortality-a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective studies. Int J Epidemiol. 2017 Jun 1;46(3):1029-1056. doi: 10.1093/ije/dyw319. PMID: 28338764; PMCID: PMC5837313.
- Beukema M, Faas MM, de Vos P. The effects of different dietary fiber pectin structures on the gastrointestinal immune barrier: impact via gut microbiota and direct effects on immune cells. Exp Mol Med. 2020 Sep;52(9):1364-1376. doi: 10.1038/s12276-020-0449-2. Epub 2020 Sep 10. PMID: 32908213.
