If you’ve been pondering how dangerous is a lack of fruit and vegetables, then you’ve come to the right article. Fruits and vegetables contain a lot of essential nutrients, and some diseases can happen from never eating fruits.
Fruits and vegetables contain several vitamins, as well as important minerals such as potassium. Plus, you’ll also find they contain fiber and antioxidants. This is why some fruits are so good for digestion. If you only have some fruit, a lack of vegetables in diet can still cause problems, and if you only have vegetables, not eating fruit can lead to problems too.
What are the Consequences of Not Eating Vegetables and Fruit?
A lack of vegetables in diet, along with the absence of fruit, can cause your body and mind to get more vulnerable to disease and deficiencies. The consequences of not eating fruit and the consequences of not eating vegetables are explored below.
What Happens if you Never eat Vegetables or Fruit?
If your diet includes no vegetables, and you’re concerned about how dangerous is a lack of fruit and vegetables, then read on to find out more.
If you lack enough fruit and vegetables, you can suffer from:
· Scurvy, which is caused by not getting vitamin C.
· Night blindness, which results from a lack of vitamin A.
· Bleeding disorder, caused by not having enough Vitamin K.
· Osteoporosis and anemia, which a lack of minerals like iron can result in.
Cardiovascular Issues
Going on a fruitarian diet, and carrying some dried fruit with you, can reduce your risks of suffering from cardiovascular complications. Heart disease is reduced by a fifth for those who have five or more fruit and vegetable servings daily.
Consuming vegetables as a way to reduce the risk of heart disease has been backed up by research too. Eating celery, onions, potatoes, and other vegetables can help considerably.
Fruit and vegetables also control blood sugars and the pressure of the blood, along with keeping the heart healthy, regulating enzymes, and influencing our genes. You can take advantage of the benefits of fruit and vegetables by exploring a vegan or vegetarian diet.
Problems with Digestion
When reflecting on how dangerous is a lack of fruits and vegetables, you might be interested to know that fiber is a crucial part of our digestive system, and fruit and vegetables provide it in large quantities. They also give us minerals and vitamins that aid digestion.
Vegetables with green leaves have natural sugars that help stimulate the growth of friendly bacteria in the gut.
Cancer Risks
If you eat a diet that is high in vegetables and fruits, you’ll lower your risk of developing cancerous tumors and cells. Small berries are particularly useful for this purpose, as are vegetables of the cruciferous variety. Phloretin is one example of a beneficial substance in apples that hinders breast cancer.
Metabolism
If your blood sugar levels are low, your blood pressure is high, and you are obese, then you may be suffering from problems with your metabolism. Eating more vegetables and more fruit can counteract this, as well as reducing the risk of hypertension and diabetes. Consuming plenty of vitamin C is an important step in assisting your metabolism. Foods high in fiber will also regulate your blood sugar levels.
If you need more help, a DASH diet could be of use. It is very good for metabolic problems, and a study revealed that it was excellent at lowering blood pressure.
Eyesight Difficulties
Vegetables with green leaves and fruits with color contain carotenoids, which improve the performance of cells in the eye and ward off eye diseases. Lutein is one of the most beneficial carotenoids and helps defend against cataracts. It also reduces the risk of developing degenerative problems in the eyes.
Depression
A range of studies have been conducted which have shown eating a wider variety of fruit and vegetables reduced the occurrence of depression.