If your mind misses the popular slogans "five a day" and "you have to eat the rainbow," you may not be consuming enough fruits and vegetables. This is not to be disappointing, but that could seriously harm your health in more ways than one. This is what really happens to your body when you don't eat enough fruits and vegetables.
5 negative effects of not eating enough vegetables
Your weight could go up
Not eating enough fruits and vegetables could be the reason you can't lose weight or the reason you've seen your weight increase over the years.
When you eat more fruits and vegetables, there is less room in your diet for other foods that may be unhealthy (think fries along with your lunch or those late-night brownie snacks).
Fruits and vegetables are also high in fiber and water and low in calories , which means they keep you full without providing excess calories.
Getting the recommended amount (or more) of fruits and vegetables each day is associated with a lower risk of being overweight , and increasing fruits and vegetables in the diet is linked to weight loss, according to November 2018 research in Nutrients. .
Your gut may be out of control
A healthy gut is the key if you are trying to improve your health.
Gut diversity, or a greater number and type of bacteria in the gut, is essential to keep your immune system healthy. Fiber appears to be the number one indicator that affects gut diversity.
Fiber, which is a carbohydrate found in plant foods (also known as fruits and vegetables), helps prevent the growth of harmful bacteria in the gut.
So what does not eating enough mean for your gut? Without these plant foods in your diet, you may not have a healthier gut, which could make you more susceptible to disease.
Additionally, people who ate fewer than 10 plant foods a week had less gut diversity than those who ate 30 or more, according to a May 2018 study in American Gut.
It's linked to increasing your risk of type 2 diabetes
The development of type 2 diabetes occurs over time. It is caused by a host of problems within the body, but a recent July 2020 study published in the BMJ observed that those with the highest levels of vitamin C in the body have the lowest risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Although this does not imply cause and effect, the association is clear enough that we can go ahead and eat an orange.
Fruits and vegetables are high in vitamin C; It's pretty hard to find a single one without some C, so vegetables are a safe bet if you're looking to get more of this vital nutrient.
Eating more fruits and vegetables helps keep your weight down, which also helps prevent the development of type 2 diabetes. Fruits and vegetables are also high in fiber, which helps regulate blood sugar .
Also, eating foods high in vitamin C prevents you from eating other foods high in added sugars, which is not good for your blood sugar.
Your heart health may suffer
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in most racial and ethnic groups. There are many risk factors for heart disease that cannot be changed, such as age and genetics. Then there are some that can be modified, including your diet.
Science shows that a diet rich in plant foods is associated with a reduced risk of heart disease, according to a December 2018 study in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences.
Fruits and vegetables contain special nutrients called phytochemicals, which help reduce inflammation in the body as a whole.
On the other hand, a diet rich in sodium, processed foods, and added sugars increases inflammation in the body. These foods help counteract that chronic inflammation and, therefore, are linked to the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, according to the December 2018 study.
It can wreak havoc on your skin
Improving your skin tone can be as easy as adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet every day. So you are literally nourishing your skin from the inside out.
A December 2018 study in Nutrients observed a 47 percent increased risk of developing seborrheic dermatitis (red, scaly patches on the skin) in women who follow a Western diet, which is generally low in fruits and vegetables.
Increasing the amount of fruit people ate was associated with a 25 percent decreased risk.
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that is important for the formation of collagen in the skin. And getting enough vitamin C in your body can help protect your skin from ultraviolet (UV) damage.
Getting enough vitamin C is especially important as you age, as aging causes a natural decline in the vitamin in your skin.
Additionally, vitamin A and water are also actively involved in keeping skin youthful, according to a March 2020 review in Nutrients. There are many that contain both vitamins: bell peppers, cantaloupe, watermelon, oranges, and kale.
How to get more fruits and vegetables?
If most people don't get enough, what does that mean to you?
Experts suggest that you should consume a minimum of 2 cups of fruit and 2.5 cups of vegetables each day. Fresh, frozen, dried, and canned, any count toward your daily servings.
If you choose dried fruit, keep your portion sizes to 1/4 cup. And if you like canning, choose vegetables that are low in sodium or no sodium and look for fruits packed in juice , not heavy syrup.
Here are some easier ideas to include more fruits and vegetables in your diet:
- Eat them with healthy sauces, such as nut butters, yogurt dips, guacamole, or hummus.
- Eat vegetarian dinners at least twice a week.
- Add more spinach or canned tomatoes to soups.
- Start the day with a fruit and vegetable smoothie (add protein powder for added satiety).
