What you gain when you eat vegetables

Vegetables facts and Benefits

What are the health benefits of vegetables? Vegetables are known to have many health benefits and play a vital role in our general health.

This is mainly because they are rich in nutrients which are important components for a healthy body. Researchers have found that those who eat vegetables are less likely to be diagnosed with some common chronic diseases.

Vegetables are classified into different types all of which have some benefits to the body. The main categories of vegetables are:

1.    Leafy greens which includes lettuce, spinach and silverbeet

2.    Cruciferous which include cabbage (red and white cabbage), cauliflower, brussels sprout and broccoli

3.    Marrow- with the examples being pumpkin, cucumber, straight neck squash, delicata squash, and zucchini

4.    Root like potato, sweet potato and yam

5.    Edible plant stem like celery and asparagus

6.    Allium which include onion garlic and shallot

Most doctors advise their patients to turn to vegetables over other types of food or at least include it in their diet because vegetables are considered some of the healthiest foods one can have.

Benefits of vegetables

Some health benefits of vegetables are:

1.    All vegetables have no cholesterol

Cholesterol is vital for formation of hormones and contains important digestive content but too much of it leads to certain health risks like overweight and heart problems

Vegetables are low in fat and calories which may also lead to weight gain.

Eating vegetables can therefore help control weight and contribute to a healthy heart

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2.   Vegetables are one of the food types that has high potassium levels

Some foods rich in potassium include potatoes (sweet potatoes and Irish potatoes), tomatoes and tomato products like tomato sauce and paste, cooked spinach, broccoli, cucumbers, peas, lentils, kidney beans and lima beans.

Potassium in vegetables helps maintain a healthy blood pressure and lower the risk of diseases related to high blood pressure.

3.    Vegetables are rich in fiber

Fiber is essential in controlling cholesterol levels in the body. Controlled blood cholesterol levels help lower risks of heart disease.

The fiber in vegetables is also important in digestion. When one consumes fiber foods, there are more bowel movements. This prevents constipation and the formation of pockets(diverticula) in the walls of the digestive tract.

4.    Vegetables produce folic acid from the folate content

  Folates are crucial since they help in the formation of red blood cells.

The red blood cells supply oxygen throughout the body from the lungs. 

Women within the productive age bracket normally between 15 to 49 years are encouraged to eat foods rich in folic acid like peas, kidney beans, liver (not encouraged during pregnancy), leafy green vegetables, broccoli and brussels sprouts.

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These foods rich in folic acid are believed to contribute to a healthy fetal development. This happens by reducing the risk of anencephaly (a birth defect that affects the brain and skull), spina bifida (spinal cord defect), and other neural tube defects.

5.    Vitamins A and C, present in most vegetables have many health benefits.

Vitamin A contributes to a healthy immune system, reduces risk of acne, supports bone health and promotes healthy growth and reproduction

Vitamin C and similar supplements reduce the risk of chronic diseases, helps prevent iron deficiency by aiding in iron absorption in the blood, boosts immunity and helps protect memory and thinking in old age among other impressive health benefits.

Disclaimer: The content in this article is for information purposes only. If you have any health concerns, seek immediate health advice from a qualified health specialist. I am a not a doctor and shall not be held liable for anything that happens as a result of any use of the information obtained from this website either as a whole or part of.