What Are The Health Benefits of Vegetables

While the health benefits of vegetables are tremendous they get lost in the American or Western diet of red meat, dairy products, grains, and dark cola drinks. This kind of food consumption constitutes an acidic diet, which allows diseases the desired environment from which to grow and spread.

Your body is designed to be slightly alkaline and this is one of the primary health benefits of vegetables.

But what really intrigued me to write this post is a study out of Neurology. This study involved 3,718 Chicago area men and women aged 65 and older.

Chicago is the land of deep dish pizza (Giordano’s is the Best) and all beef hot dogs (especially those from Portillo’s). Sometimes the only vegetables consumed are the dark relish added to the hot dog.

These study participants were followed for 6 years and what the researchers found was startling.

On measures of mental sharpness, older people who ate more than two servings of vegetables daily appeared about five years younger at the end of the six-year study when compared to those who ate few or no vegetables.

And the other startling observation from this study was that the consumption of fruit had no effect on cognitive function.

This means a diet rich in vegetables is key.

This prompted me to discover what additional health benefits could be found in vegetables.

Health Benefits of Vegetables – Short List

Betaine – This amino acid helps promote protein synthesis in the body that is beneficial for heart health and body composition by promoting muscle gain and fat loss. The best source is spinach.

Magnesium – This macro-mineral is essential to good health as it helps build bones, enables nerves to function, and is essential for energy production especially as it applies to the heart. The best sources are leafy greens like spinach and chard.

Potassium – We get plenty of sodium in our diet. Sodium is involved in muscle contraction and potassium is needed for muscle relaxation. It’s a key electrolyte and can help regulate blood pressure. The best sources are avocados, leafy greens, citrus fruits, and bananas. (I know these last two are not vegetables but are more convenient for people to eat.)

Antioxidants – Health experts agree that free radical damage at the cellular level is one of the key factors in aging and disease formation. Antioxidants are our best defense against the daily damage these free radicals try to inflict on our cells. While fruits can be a major source of antioxidants the rule to apply is the deeper the color the higher its antioxidant properties.

Collagen Formation – If you want healthy skin then you need good collagen formation. Tomatoes, cucumbers (technically a fruit), bell peppers, and broccoli are all beneficial in this area.

Beta-carotene – This nutrient helps to protect your skin from sun damage so brightly colored red and orange vegetables like carrots, peppers, and winter squash are good sources.

Vitamin K2 – This is a fat-soluble vitamin that plays a critical role in cardiovascular and bone health. And one of the best sources of vitamin K2 are fermented vegetables. (Since I can’t stand sauerkraut I’ll just continue to use a nutritional supplement for my K2.)

Soluble and Insoluble Fiber – This is an emerging world of scientific discovery that will have a major impact on overall health. Soluble fiber slows down digestion to help you feel full longer and increase the absorption of nutrients. Insoluble fiber adds bulk to your stools and moves food through your digestive tract more quickly. Plus, insoluble fiber helps to improve your gut flora or microbiome. (In the coming months I’ll be spending more time educating myself and then you in this area.)

Well, that’s my short list of health benefits of vegetables. My long list would take hours to read.

In my next post I’ll be sharing tips to boost the nutrient power of your vegetables.

Blessing Lives Through Nitric Oxide Therapy!

Dan Hammer