Day 16 – Vegetable and Fruit | Nutrient Abundant Food

Hello Friends. Welcome back to Day 16. Yesterday we explored beans and why to add them in your diet.

Beans are a great source of nutrients, yet they will lack few nutrients and flavour. But we can fill those nutrition gap, just by adding veggies and fruits.

As I have said earlier, however healthiest a food maybe, it can’t be a perfect food. You need to enjoy varieties so that your body enjoy an abundant supply of nutrients.

So let’s get started with our next two important food additions in your diet.

Vegetables

Time after time, thousands of research has shown the potential of vegetables in the human diet. Centenarian who lived a long and healthy life are the proof. These people appreciate and enjoy vegetables.

Vegetables are the food that promote health, clear out arteries, help maintain blood sugar level, prevent heart disease, prevent weight gain, and much more.

They are the healthiest because of their high nutrient content.

They have high fibre content that prevents chronic disease.

They also contain vitamin, mineral, antioxidant and phytonutrients. These nutrients combination boost the immune system, reduce inflammation, and prevent many types of cancer.

Major people don’t eat enough vegetables as they may not be aware. But you should take care that you add a small portion of vegetables in your plate. By making a small change, you can cut the risk of many health problems.

While if you have a complain that vegetable doesn’t taste good, then my friend you need to look at other recipes.

Vegetable are an abundant source of flavour. You just need to know how to bring that flavour out. Explore recipes from your and other cuisine.

Other tips: A thumb rule to choose vegetables

1. Choose brighter and wide range of coloured vegetables — brighter coloured vegetables contain more phytonutrients.  Wider the range of color — multiple phytonutrients you will receive.  Even colourless vegetables like garlic or mushrooms are a dense source of phytonutrients.
2. Choose fresh vegetables — Vegetables are more nutrient-rich when they are fresh, and to get maximum nutrient from each meal — eat seasonal and fresh harvest from your location.
3. Your can use them everywhere: Vegetables can be used as a salad, the main dish, and to other dishes to improve nutrient, taste and flavor.

The short list of benefits are:

1. They protect from heart disease
2. Cut risk of many types of cancer
3. Protects from Type 2 Diabetes
4. Good for Digestive health
5. Helps in Weight Loss and Weight Management
6. You get the most benefits which reflect in your health
7. The last one is, They are alkaline food.

Fruits

Fruit is nature’s sweetest gift. Human and animals have been enjoying since a long time. But in a few decades, fruits are blamed for health problem.

Many are hustling to prove fruits as a health disaster. There is a mixed review on the consumption of fruits and its effect on health. Some people certify that fruit is a sweet bomb. They also say that it’s like sugar or sugar loaded products.

Instead of many controversies—fruits are also a superfood that shouldn’t be missed.

The problem associated with fruits is its sugar content. In today’s time, sugar is considered evil. Yet to be clear, it is the processed sugar—the main culprit not the natural source or unprocessed food. And finally the quantity.

There is a lot to say in defence of fruits, but in this video we will stick to a short version. I will go in detail in a video dedicated completely on fruit, because we can’t cover everything in a few minutes talk.

In short, fruit is one of the healthiest sweet stuff you and your taste bud would like. They can satisfy sweet craving but won’t have negative effects.

There are changes in fruit. What they were centuries back and now. But that doesn’t mean they have turned evil.

The evils are

• Wrong marketing.
• Promoting the wrong way of consumption.

Fruits are meant to be eaten whole. Each and every edible part.

But drinking fruit was promoted as an healthiest ritual because they increase fruit intake. Since it was promoted heavily and provided convenience — it became common practice. But it’s an cruel act to our body. We’re unnecessarily loading our body with sugar, which is unpleasant for the body. It might handle for awhile but for how long.

When someone eats whole fruit — they get what nature wanted to give us. Fiber, bit of fruit sugar, micronutrients and phytonutrients.

When someone drinks fruit juice — they get what other made. More fruit sugar, added sugar, yes, they also may contain micronutrients and a small amount of phytonutrient. The problem is with increased intake of fruit juice, which increases fruit sugar and also the added sugar.

You won’t face major setbacks when you drink for a few times but will hold major harm with long-term consumption.

Here is an experiment you can try:

Step 1: Take 2 whole apples. Eat the whole apple and notice. How much you were able to eat and satiety. Take rough estimation of apple.

Step 2: Take 2 apple and make juice. Now drink it. Note the same with fruit juice.

Step 3: Take any processed fruit juice brand. See how much calories each glass has. Drink and write down the rough estimation.

In the whole test, you will find that whole apple kept you full for a long in lower calorie, compared to fruit juice or processed fruit juice. Now you can guess that what should be your choice. Convenience is a good thing but don’t let it interfere with your food — the only source of nourishment. Either a food will nourish you or ruin health. 

Food is the most important thing in our lives. It gives us energy and its the source of life. It’s responsible for better health so a quality of life. Messing with it, will surely have a negative impact not today but in future — because health problem doesn’t happen with a single wrong decision. It’s a daily small setback for a long time.

Like vegetables it also has other benefits making them a must have:

1. Protect from heart disease
2. Protect from cancer because of its high antioxidant and phytonutrients
3. Good for digestive health. Fiber is a reason, but there are enzymes that give additional benefits.
4. They can prevent diabetes as they increase insulin sensitivity. Loss of insulin sensitivity is responsible for Type 2 Diabetes. but soluble fiber and phytonutrients can improve insulin sensitivity.
5. Good for brain, eye, and bone
6. Weight loss friendly as they are healthier sweet snacks.

There is nothing to fear about fruit. Just eat 1-2 serving and you’re set to get the most from fruit. You don’t need large serving.

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