Healthy eating section: fruit and vegetables in the diet

Achieving a state of physical well-being depends on two behavioral factors that act in synergy, namely regular sporting activity and a balanced diet.

In our country, the protocols to follow in order to make adequate choices to meet the body's needs, avoiding deficiencies and excesses, are indicated in the guidelines of food policies, i.e. the "Guidelines for a healthy diet" and the document relating to "Reference Intake Levels of Nutrients and Energy" (LARN).

The role of plants in the food system

One of the cornerstones of all directives in the nutritional field concerns the adequate consumption of vegetables and fruit, considered essential for the maintenance of normal organic values, as well as for the prevention of many pathologies, such as obesity, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes type 2 and some types of tumors.

If included in a balanced food plan, in fact, all plants are able to provide the necessary amount of water, as well as vitamins and bioactive substances useful for supporting the body in maintaining its state of health.

Considering, then, the minimum fat content normally present in vegetables and fruit, it is understandable that a diet that provides for their regular intake is also more suitable from the point of view of caloric intake, which is limited.

Why consume more fruits and vegetables

But, then, what is the reason that should push to increase the introduction of vegetables in the diet plan? In fact, there is more than one reason behind this choice.

In the first place, the low "energy density": both fruit and vegetables provide few calories and allow, for the same weight, to reach a sense of satiety before other more caloric foods. This factor, considered from another point of view, leads us to affirm that consuming more vegetables helps to eat less and to follow a slimming regime more easily.

Another reason is represented by the considerable intake of dietary fibres: in addition to regulating the metabolism during calorie intake, vegetable fibers help limit the absorption of nutrients and normalize the physiological functions of the body, promoting natural cell turnover.

In the structure of fruit, vegetables and greens, the high content of minerals and vitamins must also be considered, important at any age, but essential in particular life circumstances, for example during the growth phase, in adolescence, in old age or when going through a pregnancy.

In general, the principles contained in Nature's products represent a precious support to the immune system and help prevent the onset of degenerative diseases.

Furthermore, plants contain the so-called "bioactive molecules", substances with a very high protective action which, by promoting the activation of cellular mechanisms, help the body to reach and maintain a state of well-being.

The antioxidant function of these elements has been studied for a long time and is often considered as the panacea for many pathologies: even if there is no scientific evidence to support this statement, there is unanimous opinion that plant antioxidants have, in any case, a remarkable efficacy against cellular aging.

How to consume more fruit and vegetables

The ideal intake of vegetables is "raw": the cooking process, in fact, modifies the structure and chemical composition of any food, therefore also those of fruit and vegetables.

In particular, consuming vegetables without cooking them allows the body to take advantage of the maximum concentration and availability of vitamins and nutrients.

The argument relating to the consumption of preserved, canned, bagged or modified atmosphere products deserves a separate note, the use of which is very convenient but is often stigmatized by raw food "fundamentalists".

In reality, it is true that even mechanized conservation processes decrease the volume of active ingredients in plants, but it is a very minimal level decrease, not so significant as to advise against the consumption of packaged vegetables.

In short, eating more fruit and vegetables is good in any case: preferring one method of consumption, rather than another, depends on the needs and individual eating habits, but does not significantly affect the positive and healthy result it produces.