To jump-start your metabolism and turn your eating habits into a health-promoting lifestyle, consider a diet based solely on fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables are full of fiber, vitamins and plenty of nutrients. While there may be some promising benefits to be gained by eating only fruits and vegetables, you should only do so under the advice and supervision of your primary care physician.
Fiber
Plant-based diets heavy in fruits and vegetables provide significant amounts of both soluble and insoluble fiber. If you consume a diet that it is higher in fiber, you tend to have better control of portion size because your stomach becomes fuller much faster. Fiber also is important for your colon health as it is essential for the normal passage of your solid waste products. According to a study published in the April 2001 issue of "Metabolism," a diet rich in high-fiber vegetables may reduce some of the risk factors associated with colon cancer.
Cholesterol
Cholesterol is an essential fatty molecule that is needed by all or your tissues and organs for normal function. Cholesterol is synthesized by specialized cells in your liver and distributed appropriately. However, if you eat fatty foods, especially fatty animal products, including meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products, you are contributing to your overall cholesterol numbers. A diet rich in fat saturates and exceeds the normal cholesterol levels in your body, which can ultimately lead to the hardening of the arteries, which can lead to heart attack or stroke. Plant products like fruits and vegetables do not contain cholesterol so they are the essential perfect foods to reduce high cholesterol. According to a study published in the September 2003 issue of "Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology," a plant-based diet may be capable of producing the same cholesterol-lowering effects as those witnessed by using modern pharmaceuticals like statins.
Anti-Cancer Benefits
A diet rich in fruits in vegetables provides everyone with the essential vitamins, minerals and other nutrients like antioxidants. These essential molecules promote healthy metabolism of sugars and fats and promote muscle and bone building. They are also important in fighting off disease like heart disease, diabetes and some kinds of cancer. Dangerous chemicals that occur in your body as the result of normal metabolic processes are called oxygen-free radicals. These free radicals can harm cells, proteins and even your DNA. When these types of damages occur over a long period of time, you become predisposed to developing cancer in the area of the most damage. The antioxidants that you get naturally from fruits and vegetables can reduce and control the damaging effects of free radicals, which in turn reduces the risks associated with developing some kinds of cancers.
References
- "Metabolism": Effect of a very-high-fiber vegetable, fruit, and nut diet on serum lipids and colonic function
- "Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology": The Garden of Eden---plant based diets, the genetic drive to conserve cholesterol and its implications for heart disease in the 21st century
- American Cancer Society: Fruits and Vegetables: Do You Get Enough?
Member Comments