The American Dietetic Association validates the healthiness of incorporating a vegetarian or vegan diet, but it stresses the importance of balance of foods, not only fruits and vegetables. Major U.S. health organizations are now recognizing the high-nutrient value in fruits and vegetables; however, that does not imply that they are the only two types of food you should eat.
Balanced Variety
Variety of healthy foods is key. Some people tend to hear about a healthy idea and obsessively take action toward it, which may lead to an unhealthy imbalance of too much of certain foods and not enough of others. Our bodies are complex organisms that require a complex amount of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids, proteins and antioxidants. Fruits and vegetables provide us with many of these nutrients but far from all the necessary nutrients.
Health Benefits of Eating Fruits and Vegetables
For optimal health, fruits and vegetables are provided by nature to offer the richest sources of most minerals, fiber, vitamins and antioxidants. Vegetables and fruits make up the majority of a healthy diet and replaces the largest segment of the standard food pyramid with about 60 to 70 percent vegetables and 30 to 40 percent fruits in a new food pyramid for an anti-inflammation eating plan, according to "The Dr. Oz Show." It is important to eat most of the fruits that contain vitamin C and potassium raw, because these nutrients can be destroyed by heat.
Health Side Effects of Only Eating Fruits and Vegetables
If you only eat fruits and vegetables, your diet will become severely unbalanced. When your diet is unbalanced it will become unhealthy, even though you are gaining plenty of certain healthy nutrients. The main side effects of only eating fruits and vegetables is that you will not obtain a sufficient amount of certain key nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B-complex, zinc, insoluble fiber, protein and amino acids, just to name a few.
Importance of Protein and Amino Acids
One of the main nutrients that both fruits and vegetables lack are proteins and amino acids. Proteins and amino acids are found in foods, such as legumes, nuts, seeds, grains, eggs, seafood, dairy and meats. Not all of these foods are needed to obtain a sufficient amount of protein or amino acids. If you choose a vegan diet, you can have a well-balanced, healthy diet by eating plant-based foods like quinoa, brown rice, tempeh, soybeans, lentils, adzuki beans and Brazil nuts, hemp seed and flaxseed oil.
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