vegetable

VEGETABLES FOR HEALTH

Vegetables are important for health. So are fruits, complex carbohydrates and some protein. Food from the plant kingdom has always been important to human with some exceptions were animal meat is the main food. Most research show that a balanced diet is of utmost importance for health. Consuming food mainly made up of only one food group has been shown to be associated with various health problems. Research has shown that excessive fat consumption is linked with cancer of the breast, colon, prostate and rectum. A diet low in fiber is linked with color cancer.
Antioxidant taken regularly is shown to reduce that incidence of cancer of the oesophagus and stomach. Food intolerances are linked to allergies, flatulence, rheumatoid arthritis, stomach ache. Eating food from plant source without variety can also be hazardous to health. For instance, prolonged regular consumption of maize with little protein intake has been linked to pellagra, a chronic disease due to deficiency of nicotinic acid causing gastrointestinal disorders, skin eruptions and nervous disorders.
Similarly, any prolonged regular, consumption of tapioca tubers as staple food and tapioca leaves as vegetable with little other food can cause anemia, malnutrition, general weakness and poor growth.

The are many types of diets or food formulas for health, healing or for losing weight. Some types of diets for health and healing are given below.
Diets for losing weight are not presented here. One must exercise caution in dieting to lose weight to avoid minor or serious side-effects. Eating only one type of food or food group to lose weight has many potential health risks. It is important to supply all the nutrients need by your body to avoid malnutrition.
Not all type of diets are presented here, but those given below are selected because of their focus on the importance of vegetables, fruits and complex carbohydrates. Vegetables and other type of food from plants are very important for health and healing in these diets.


NUTRITIONAL CONSTITUENTS IN VEGETABLE.

Vegetable contain substances that are placed in specific groups called carbohydrates, protein, fat, fibres, minerals, vitamins and various chemical compounds which have their own groupings such as alkaloids, essential oil, saponins, tannins, etc. of course, a large portion of fresh vegetables is made up of water which is also very important as life cannot exist without water. Foods provide the fuel for the body to function. Nutrients and other chemicals from food are vital for the body to function efficiently and fight infections; as building blocks for the body to grow, repair and renew cells, tissues and even parts of organs. Food also provides roughage which enables the bowels to function properly and regularly.

ANTIOXIDANTS.

· Help prevent the harmful effect from the by-products of oxidation. The chain reaction of oxidation in human body can result in tissue damage the lowers the body’s defence systems.
· Antioxidants seek out free radicals and deactivate them.
· Exposure to certain chemicals, cigarette smoke, industrial pollution increases the level of free radicals. The human body produces some antioxidants but the amount is usually not enough to cope with the demand.
· The major antioxidants from food that are beneficial to human health are carotenes, vitamins C and E.
· Carotenoids and flavonoids also have antioxidant properties. Deficiency of copper, manganese, selenium or zinc reduces antioxidant defences.
· Excess of iron can encourage oxidation. People who eat more food rich in antioxidants are less prone to cataracts, heart diseases, premature aging, stroke and some types of cancer, particularly esophagus, prostate and stomach. Many vegetables and fruits are rich in antioxidants.