It's no secret that vegetables provide essential nutrients for your overall health. In fact, the Harvard School of Public Health says a diet rich in vegetables can lower blood pressure, improve digestive problems and reduce your risk of heart disease and even some cancers. The Mayo Clinic says vegetables are packed with antioxidants such as vitamins C and E. The healthiest way to undertake a vegetable diet, according to Diet Love to Know.com, is to supplement it with an adequate amount of fat and protein to ensure that you are getting a balanced diet.
Effects
According to Weight Loss for All.com, vegetables are a highly beneficial food item for weight loss because they are low in calories and fat, but high in fiber, so you'll feel full in a hurry. Vegetables are low in sodium, so water retention is unlikely to occur. The high nutritional content of vegetables may give you more energy to increase your physical activity, which means you'll burn more calories.
Considerations
A vegetable diet simply makes vegetables the main course of every meal while fats and proteins are considered side dishes. To retain the most nutrition content, vegetables should be grilled, steamed, lightly sautéed or eaten raw.
The Mayo Clinic says vegetables that contain the most antioxidants include artichokes, spinach, broccoli, red cabbage, red and white potatoes, and sweet potatoes. Tomatoes are also a healthy choice.
Breakfast and Lunch
A healthy breakfast idea on a vegetable diet is an egg-white omelet made with sautéed vegetables. A typical lunch on a vegetable diet is a large romaine lettuce salad with walnut oil dressing and 3 oz. of chicken.
Snack and Dinner
A typical vegetable diet snack is dipping carrots in a protein source such as nut butter. Vegetable drinks are not recommended because they are less filling. An example of dinner on a vegetable diet is a full plate of grilled vegetables with 3 oz. of fish.
Precautions
Always wash your vegetables to eliminate any dirt and residue from pesticides. You may want to invest in a vegetable wash that is commonly located in the produce section of your grocery store. Be sure to talk to your doctor before you go on a vegetable diet.
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