What are the health benefits of eating fruits and vegetables?
Fruits and vegetables are full of vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and antioxidants that can reduce your risk of chronic disease and many of the leading causes of death in the US , like heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, obesity and some cancers. Advertisement. Yet, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, …
Eating a variety of vegetables helps you get all of the nutrients you need and ensures those nutrients are in a form that your body can use. If you do want to take a supplement, choose a high-quality multivitamin that contains a wide array of vitamins and minerals.
Yet, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 90 percent of Americans don’t eat enough of them. If you’re one of those people who don’t get enough, you may be looking for a way to get all of the vitamins you need without having to do the dirty work, but there are no shortcuts.
There are so many antioxidants, minerals and vitamins in vegetables that it’s impossible to find just one vegetable replacement. Although you can use multivitamins and green powders to help you meet your needs, they can’t take the place of including a lot of whole, fresh vegetables in your diet.
There is no adequate substitute for all of the vitamins in vegetables. Eating a variety of vegetables helps you get all of the nutrients you need and ensures those nutrients are in a form that your body can use. If you do want to take a supplement, choose a high-quality multivitamin that contains a wide array of vitamins and minerals.
The Problem With Supplements. Aside from supplements typically not containing all of the nutrients that you’d get from eating a variety of different whole vegetables, the vitamins in them may also be a form that’s not as bioavailable, or as easy for your body to absorb, as the nutrients in actual vegetables.
As a result, you could potentially take in way too much of a specific vitamin, which set s you up for vitamin toxicity.
How many people are getting enough vegetables?
Very few of us are getting enough vegetables. Only one in ten people regularly get their recommended daily dose, while the remaining nine of us vary: Some are trying our best, working in a side of broccoli whenever we can, while others are perfectly content with their vegetable-averse lifestyle.
Food. Basically, vegetables are multifaceted in their nutritional perfection. They contain all sorts of micronutrients that can be difficult to source elsewhere, they’re low in calories, and they’ve got enough fiber to ensure your tummy processes it all smoothly.
While you could technically replace some of the nutrients you’d miss from not eating vegetables with vitamins, nutrients aren’t the only thing veggies have going for them. “In addition to being a rich source of a variety of vitamins, minerals, fiber and fluids, eating vegetables offers even more benefits, including unique phytonutrients …
What is the most important food supplement?
Out of all those important nutrients, the most important supplement that is vital for your well-being is fiber . Fiber is more than an internal regulator of your digestive tract.
If you aren’t getting enough fiber in your diet such as leafy greens and fruits, then it’s critical that you begin taking a supplement to restore digestive balance and healthy gut flora.
Maintaining healthy gut flora, fiber “ feeds” good microbes. Without enough fiber, those microbes die off, leaving unhealthy microbes which will not only take over, but will begin feeding on the lining of your gut. This imbalance has been linked to heart disease, obesity, and autoimmune disorders as well as IBS.
As any health care provider would tell you, vitamins cannot completely replace vegetables. Whenever possible, you should eat vegetables to ensure that you are getting a balanced diet. However, alongside healthy food, supplements can serve as a safeguard to making sure all your nutritional needs are met. If you take vitamins in addition to eating well, your body will benefit from the direct intake of all those nutrients vital to complete health.
What to do instead of steaming vegetables?
Instead of steaming them, try roasting them with a bit of lemon and spices, for example. “Vegetables” is a really broad category, and you can always try different preparations to find something you like. Plus, hey, sometimes vegetables just taste better now.
Vitamins B7 and B9. There are a whole bunch of different B vitamins, and they all interact with your system in different ways. They come from a variety of different sources, as well. Other than the typical Bs, there are some less common B vitamins you might pick up in your diet as well, but they aren’t a primary concern.
You can also simply strive to eat more vegetables that are high in fiber, such as beans, lentils, and artichokes. If you want something sweeter, raspberries are also high. 2.
To get vitamin E from food-based sources, you’re typically going to want to eat seeds and nuts, usually those that have fat or oil in them. Sunflower seeds, almonds, and pine nuts are all good choices. You can also simply take a supplement.
There are three main reasons why you might not be eating vegetables in your daily life. First, maybe you do eat some vegetables, but you’re just not eating enough of them. The CDC has done studies and, according to their data, has found that 87% of Americans don’t eat enough vegetables regularly.
If you’re not eating vegetables, or you’re not eating enough vegetables, you’re going to be missing out on a selection of key nutrients that your body needs to survive. Some of them you can live without for a long time, while others will increase things like fatigue levels or your risk of diabetes.
Liver, for example, is high in vitamin A on its own, so you can eat that and be fine without a supplement. If you prefer leaner meats like chicken, though, you’re going to want to get your vitamin A somewhere else. Obviously, you can pick up a vitamin A supplement anywhere you can get vitamins.