It is common to hear recommendations about consuming healthy foods as part of daily life. However, have you ever wondered what fruits and vegetables are for? We explain why it is extremely important that you include them in your daily diet.
From a general perspective, it is known that the consumption of this type of food provides very great health benefits. Fruits have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and in some cases, anti-cancer effects. Although, one of their most beneficial properties is that these foods greatly help prevent cardiovascular diseases.
What are fruits and vegetables used for?
According to the WHO, the intake of fruits and vegetables in the daily diet can reduce the risk of developing some non-communicable diseases. These include heart disease and some types of cancer.
Furthermore, if combined with the right foods, that is, low in fat and sugar, they can also help prevent and reduce the risk of obesity. Another great enemy of a healthy life
High nutrient content
They have a high content of vitamins and minerals, which help us keep the body in a healthy state. This way, you will be better prepared to face the much-feared oxidation. Although this is a natural process of the body and thanks to it we age, factors external to the biological clock such as stress and a poor diet can contribute to the oxidation of cells and with this, diseases appear.
The expert in nutrition and food science, Rubén López Nicolás from the University of Murcia, argues that consuming fruits and vegetables “keeps us young for longer, healthier, because the body is capable of more quickly neutralizing the external damage to which we are subjected. diary”.
In addition to this, they are also rich in dietary fiber and a whole host of substances that do not belong to the , but are highly beneficial:
Phytosterols
They are present in almost all edible vegetables, fruits, seeds, leaves and stems. If you want to obtain its benefits, just include these foods in your daily diet.
The chemical composition of plant phytosterols is very similar to that of cholesterol. Except that the former cannot be produced by the body. Currently more than 40 types of phytosterols are known.
Their most peculiar characteristic is that they block the absorption of cholesterol at the intestinal level. Its regular consumption also helps reduce cholesterol levels present in the blood. Which means that they are molecules that have a marked hypocholesterolemic effect. Hence they help prevent cardiovascular diseases.
Flavonoids
They are a class of polyphenolic compounds, present in fruits and vegetables, responsible for providing the intense colors characteristic of these foods. They act as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agents, which help the immune system.
Although the functioning of different types of flavonoids is not completely known, numerous studies have linked them to cancer prevention.
According to research carried out by Edith Cowan University, they found that flavonoids produce a protective effect, to a greater extent in those people at risk of suffering from chronic diseases due to tobacco and alcohol consumption.
Researchers found that people with a medium to high intake of foods with flavonoids were less likely to have cancer or heart disease.
recommendations
Now you know what fruits and vegetables are for. They provide us with numerous health benefits and as we have already seen, they are essential to take care of our immune system and thus lead a healthy life. It is no coincidence that the recommendations include consuming at least one fruit and one vegetable a day.
The World Health Organization, as part of promoting food safety, recommends eating a healthy diet low in fat, sugar and sodium. At the same time, consume more than 400 grams of fruits and vegetables per day, to improve general health and reduce the risk of certain non-communicable diseases.
The study by Edith Cowan University was published on August 13, 2019 in the journal Nature (DOI).