8 Benefits Of Fruits And Vegetables For Elderly
Introduction:
One of the most important things to keep up with once you get older is your health. In order for you to stay healthy and strong it is important that you eat a well balanced diet consisting mainly of different fruits and vegetables. This article will give a brief overview on why fruits and vegetables are beneficial for the elderly.
The first aspect that fruit and vegetable consumption provides the elderly is nutrition. Many vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fibre, phytochemicals (plant chemicals) antioxidants have been found in many plants such as apples, blueberries, pears etc., which have been linked to benefits such as prevention or slowing down aging. It has been also found that plants contain higher levels of protein compared to animal products.
Most of the elderly are advised to have a diet with plenty of vegetables and fruits in. These foods are often considered healthy foods. Read this article to learn more about the benefits of fruits and vegetables for elderly.
Body Mechanism
The body’s functioning can be regulated by food intake. This means that what we eat can affect our overall wellness, including leading to better mental function, physical vitality, and emotional well-being. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables is one simple way to enhance your health so you can live a long life without illness or disease free. That’s why many nutritionists recommend these healthy foods for the elderly.
Fruits And Vegetables
This is not always the case though since they also contain some sodium, but this sodium is related to potassium intake. Elderly should limit their total amount of salt for example in order to avoid side effects like high blood pressure which may cause kidney problems, stroke, heart attack or death .
Benefits Of Fruits And Vegetables For Elderly
1. Lowering Cholesterol
Cholesterol is the precursor to increasing blood clots which can lead to heart attacks or stroke. It is also associated with heart and lung disease, including coronary heart disease, peripheral vascular disease, and cerebrovascular accident. (2). The best way to lower cholesterol levels is by eating foods that are high in fiber such as fruits and vegetables which contain a lot of fiber. Fiber helps lower bad cholesterol (LDL) while raising good cholesterol (HDL). A diet rich in a variety of vegetables and fruits, can keep the body from receiving the wrong kind of calories from saturated fats which increase the risk of cholesterol levels.
2. Maintains Digestive Health
Eating a fruit and vegetable diet is another way to safeguard your digestive health. I’m sure you have heard the saying “you are what you eat”. This means that if you eat junk food all the time then you will most likely become a junkie. A junk food diet could result in constipation as well as increase risk factors for suffering from heartburn, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), bloating, gas, and diarrhea. Fiber is an important component because it promotes intestinal health and helps maintain regularity. Also, fruits and vegetables are great sources of both insoluble fiber which is associated with decreased colon cancer risk, as well as soluble fiber which can help decrease your cholesterol levels.
3. Vitamin And Mineral Intake
Eating fruits and vegetables is a great way to get your vitamins and minerals. Vitamin C found in fruits and vegetables can help to boost the immune system, prevent old age illnesses like cataracts, scurvy, pneumonia, urinary tract infections (UTI’s), contraception, gum disease, cancer and other diseases. Not only can vitamins help boost the immune system but they also aid in preventing chronic diseases such as diabetes.
4. Cancer Prevention
The antioxidants found in vegetables and fruits can help to strengthen cell membranes of healthy cells while at the same time destroying cancer cells. Antioxidants are most concentrated in seeds, skin of fruits and vegetables such as berries as well as green leafy vegetables like spinach and kale. In addition to reducing risk for cancer, antioxidants can also help reduce your risk for heart disease, stroke, cataracts and diabetes.
5. Cardiovascular Disease
A diet rich in fruits and vegetables can help improve cardiovascular health. According to the American Heart Association, studies have shown that people who consume at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day have lower rates of heart disease than those who eat less than one-and-a-half servings daily. It is recommended that you eat your fruits and vegetables raw because they contain the highest concentration of enzymes which help protect against heart disease by stopping blood platelets from sticking together.
6. Diabetics
Research has shown that people who eat a lot of fruits and vegetables have lower rates of heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Diabetics should be careful though because many fruits and vegetables are high in natural sugars. Make sure you are aware of what type of carbohydrates are in the fruit or vegetable that you eat and how much is eaten because this can cause blood sugar levels to rise too high which could result in health issues like heart disease, stroke, kidney problems, eye disease etc.
7. Mental Vitality
Eating nutritious meals will also benefit your mental well being. The antioxidants found in foods such as fruits and vegetables help to preserve brain cells. Foods with antioxidants can also help to improve memory and protect against age-related mental decline.
8. More Energy
Eating more fruits and vegetables will not only provide you with a lot of energy but also many other health benefits such as the ones mentioned above. Fruits and vegetables are packed with nutrients that give you both energy to work out or play sports but also replenish the energy that was used while working out or playing sports. These nutrients make sure you are able to perform at your best when working out or playing sports while they also restore lost energy after workouts or plays.
Conclusion
Eating fruits and vegetables will help your immune system as well as keep you healthy. They are also rich in Vitamins and minerals which will boost your immune system and give you more energy. These 7 reasons should convince you to eat more fruits and vegetables.
The benefits of consuming fruits are well known, particularly in the prevention of heart disease, blood sugar disorders, cancer, and other chronic illnesses. Fruits contain phytochemicals such as flavonoids that promote health by reducing oxidative stress (the stress on our cells caused by factors like air pollution), inflammation, and cardiovascular disease.