From Dr. Mercola:
Eating plenty of vegetables can help reduce your risk for many chronic diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, stroke and certain cancers. For example, one 2010 study found that eating just one extra serving of leafy greens a day reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes by 14 percent.1
Fresh vegetables are a nutritional cornerstone, as most are very low in calories and net carbs while being high in beneficial fiber,2 vitamins and minerals. Vegetables also contain a wide variety of antioxidants and other disease-fighting compounds.
Phytochemicals found in plants have potent anti-inflammatory capacity and some even help in the elimination of carcinogens. Other plant chemicals regulate the rate at which your cells reproduce, remove old cells and maintain DNA.
Leafy greens, thanks to their high fiber content, also activate a gene called T-bet, which is essential for producing vital immune cells in the lining of your digestive tract.3
These immune cells, called innate lymphoid cells (ILCs), help maintain balance between immunity and inflammation in your body and produce interleukin-22 (IL-22), a hormone that helps protect your body from pathogenic bacteria.
ILCs even help resolve cancerous lesions and prevent the development of bowel cancers and other inflammatory diseases.
For Better Health, Eat More Veggies
Studies have repeatedly shown that people with higher vegetable intake have:
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✓ Lower risks of high blood pressure and stroke |
✓ Lower risks of certain types of cancer |
✓ Reduced risk of kidney stones and bone loss |
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✓ Higher scores on cognitive tests |
✓ Higher antioxidant levels |
✓ Lower biomarkers for oxidative stress |
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✓ Lower risk for Alzheimer’s disease4 |
✓ Lower risk for eye diseases … Continue ReadingRelated Articles
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