Including fruits and vegetables in the diet has been proven to have a horde of health benefits. Additionally, having a fruit and vegetable only diet every once in a while may reduce chances of contracting certain diseases, such as stroke, cancer and heart disease. Fruits and vegetables are also beneficial in that they control blood pressure and prevent diverticulitis, macular degeneration as well as cataracts. This in turn prevents loss of vision.
To lose weight, you should burn more calories that you eat in a day. In this regard, a fruit and vegetable diet can be of great help. This diet allows you to take fewer calories and burn more through exercises. However, it may have harmful effects on the body if followed for a considerable period. As such, it is advisable to consult a physician, after which you may use the following menu.
Normally, the body will get toxins from the various foods and beverages you consume every day. With time, such toxins will build up in the system. As such, you will need to detoxify your body from time to time. This may be achieved by taking a fruit and vegetable only diets at least once in a week. If you already meet the daily fruit and vegetable requirement in your body, you do not need to detoxify your body because the daily intake of fruits and vegetables can do that. While there are many detoxification options today, vegetables and fruits are a natural and effective way of detoxifying the system.
For the normal functioning of the body, protein intake is a necessity. In this regard, taking a fruit and vegetable only diet is not advisable over the long run. You should take minor supplements, comprising of such protein sources as sprouted beans, seeds and nuts from time to time to provide the body with the required amount of proteins.
A vegetable only diet or fruit only diet is healthy for the body in an array of ways. In addition to having immense health benefits, however, many experts are of the opinion that a vegetable and fruit only diet should not be followed exclusively for a long time. Eating such a diet exclusively will provide the body with plenty of vitamin C, potassium and fiber, but deprive the body of other essential nutrients, like zinc, iron and protein. Therefore, you should consume a balanced diet throughout the day to give the body all the nutrients it requires.
While fruits are very nutritious, they do not provide substantial amounts of proteins for the body. Proteins are required in the body for repairing and producing new cells among other tasks. This is why you should include protein providing foods, such as nuts, seeds, beans, fish and lean meat in your diet, a minimum of two times in a day. Additionally, such foods will also supply the body with vitamin B12, zinc and iron. These maintain the immune system in the proper working condition.
To calcium and phosphorus, you should consider taking low-fat dairy foods as well. Such foods include yogurt, cheese and milk. These are vital in strengthening the bones and keeping the teeth healthy. Since the body also needs fiber, you will need to incorporate grains in your diet by eating such foods as rice, whole grains, barley, cereals and quinoa. Such foods also supply the body with B vitamins, including foliate.
In addition to the fruits and vegetables, you should incorporate foods from different food groups to have a more balanced diet. For instance, you may combine the fruits and vegetables with oatmeal for breakfast. Owing to their low calorie contents and high fiber content, vegetables and fruits are magnificent snacks. In addition to making you feel full, they also supply the body with an array of essential nutrients.