For one, these Siberians eat meat to raise their metabolic rate in order to keep warm and this is something that has evolved over the centuries. So, what if you are not a Siberian reindeer hunter, why should you eat vegetables?
Vegetables nutritionally contain very little protein or fat, however they do contain fibre, carbohydrates, vitamins, provitamins, minerals and something called phytochemicals which have antioxidant and antibacterial properties amongst other things.
So from a basic level, veggies have a lot going for them in terms of giving you a balanced plate of nutrients; eating sufficient amounts of vegetables and fruit can help prevent heart disease, cancer and type 2 diabetes. Vegetables also provide much needed potassium, that helps stop cramp and the formation of kideny stones.
Did you know:
Vegetables have no cholesterol (when eaten without a sauce)
Vegetables contain potassium, that helps lower blood pressure
Vegetables are rich in vitamins A, C and E that keep your eyes and skin healthy, provide essential fatty acids and help heal cuts and wounds as well as helping iron absorption
Vegetables contain folic acid that is an essential part in red blood cell formation
Vegetables of course, contain fibre. Fibre helps reduce cholesterol, reduces heart disease, promotes proper bowl function and helps to make you feel fuller with less calories.
A large number of vegetables can be eaten raw (and we'll explore this in our post about getting kids (and the rest of the family) to eat more raw vegetables and food), however there are a few that must be cooked to remove toxins and antinutrients.
Vegetables add colour to your meal, both visually and taste wise, they also mean that you can make your portion of meat go further in feeding the family, while we need protein, today many of us eat too large a serving of meat in our diets and miss out on many vegetables that would give us a boost and improve our overall metabolism, not to mention actually helping to reduce methane, a greenhouse gas.
5 Great Reasons To Eat Your Vegetables
I absolutely LOVE my vegetables and I hope you do too because there are so many reasons why you should eat your vegetables!
They are one of the most nutritious things we can eat and every day we should aim to get at least 5 serves a day. This may sound like a lot but one serve is equivalent to about half a cup of vegetables such as brussel sprouts, cabbage, green beans, cucumber, broccoli or the like. So if you eat one salad you could already be consuming a few serves of veggies in one meal.
Anyway, here’s 5 great reasons to love your vegetables more.
1. Prevent disease
Eating your veggies can help prevent the risk of many diseases such as heart disease, all types of cancers, diabetes, obesity, dementia, alziemer’s, depression and other mental disturbances, reduce aches and pains, and much more. Vegetables contain many protective ingredients such as antioxidants, flavonoids, vitamins, minerals, and fibre, that can all help ward off disease and keep the cells and organs in your body healthier.
2. Get your dose of vitamins and minerals
One of the ways veggies help prevent disease is though providing vitamins and minerals because these are essential to good health. We need vitamins and minerals to drive many of the metabolic processes in our bodies. The B vitamins act as enzymes and coenzymes in energy production, vitamin C and E provide antioxidant properties that fight free radicals, calcium and phosphorus are essential for bone health, nerve function, and blood pressure. Potassium helps to regulate electrolyte balance and aids nerve transmission. Each vitamin and mineral serves a very important role and one of the best ways to get them into the body is to eat a wide variety of vegetables.
Here’s just one example of vitamins and minerals found in one group of vegetables:
Leafy green veggies contain folate, vitamin C, biotin, vitamin K, A, potassium, calcium, and magnesium.
3. Generate energy
Vegetables are a great source of healthy carbohydrates and carbohydrates help provide your body and brain with energy. Unlike heavy carbs like grains, eating a wide variety of veggies can still fuel the engines without making you feel bloated. Feeling vibrant and alive in life is definitely one of my goals so veggies are high on my list! And if losing weight is your goal then focus on eating more of these wonderful things and your fat will start burning away 
4. Promote digestive health
Eating your vegetables helps promote a healthy bowel and keeps you regular! It’s the easiest way to get your daily requirement of dietary fibre and will help reduce your risk of colon cancer along with many other additional benefits. Did you know that your gastrointestinal tract is one of the largest immune organs in your body? Veggies can help you maintain the health of your digestive system naturally!
5. Keep life interesting
Vegetables keep my diet interesting! There are so many textures, flavours and varieties to choose from that you really can never get bored with cooking them, at least I can’t anyway! I love experimenting and I try to include a little bit of veggies in every meal. If you don’t already have an interesting diet and feel like you’re getting bored, try doing something different with your veggies and see how much more variety you can bring into your diet intstantly.
Anyway, those are 5 great reasons to eat your vegetables.
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