It seems like, over the past couple of years, a lot has changed when it comes to a healthy lifestyle. Even though junk food will never go out of style and will always remain popular, people have managed to create additional space in their lives – for healthier options.

Nowadays, they are more interested in fruits and veggies and no one knows for sure what has forced them to change their minds. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter really. What matters is that they are living much better lives.

They have become much more conscious of their diet, and have decided to incorporate regular exercise. Of course, there will always be those who will refuse to change, so maybe after reading this article, these individuals may alternate their perceptions.

What Has Happened?

Is It Because Of Covid-19?

It’s been over a year since Covid-19 has hit the world with unimaginable consequences. Who would have ever thought that something that in the beginning seemed relatively “harmless” is going to change the way we are living our lives.

On a more positive note, maybe it should be perceived as a great reminder that sometimes we tend to neglect our health and well-being, and now, with isolation, we had the opportunity to change that and focus on enhancing ourselves.

Probably, the biggest change that came slowly was the one regarding dietary habits. People have realized that they need to start assessing their eating habits and focus on preparing healthy meats.

It seems like in a blink of an eye they’ve become much more conscious about what they consume. Maybe it’s because they’ve heard how important it is for our immune system to have a healthy, balanced diet.

Plus, the fast-foods, restaurants were closed so they weren’t able to go there and order a potentially unhealthy meal. So, in a way, Covid-19 helped us rethink our lives and the decisions we made before.

Did it affect our fruits and veggies consumption? It surely did, especially in the beginning. You could even notice people buying pickles in bulk and many other delicious vegetables and fruits, worried that they might disappear. Luckily, in the past couple of months, the situation has started getting better and now there’s enough food for everyone.

Why Are Veggies Important For Our Health?

The Benefits Of Vegetables

• Decrease inflammation – You remember when you were little how your grandma was forcing you to eat more fruits and veggies. And even though as a kid that doesn’t seem like the best decision in the world, as you grow older you realize that she was definitely right. So what’s so beneficial about it? One of the biggest reasons why you should consume it is because it reduces inflammation. It is widely known that chronic inflammation is connected with obesity, cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, IBD, rheumatoid arthritis, and many other health conditions. If you’re currently suffering from any of these illnesses then you should opt for a lighter, Mediterranean dietary regime, that contains a lot of vegetables, fruits, fish, legumes, healthy fats, etc. This way, you will decrease the inflammation in your body. When it comes to choosing the best and healthiest vegetables, opt for spinach, kale, collard greens, as well as Swiss chard. All of these things are packed with vitamin C, flavonoids, antioxidants, carotenoids which are powerful tools against any form of cellular damage.
• They are an amazing complement – Another great thing about them is the fact that they do not contain a lot of fat and protein, which makes them a perfect addition to animal protein foods. Now, what a lot of people do not know is that it would be best (when you have a meal) to have more veggies and less meat. Perceive meat as some sort of garnish, that is going to further enhance the flavor of your dish and is amazing nutrition to the vegetables, or grains, however, it shouldn’t be the priority. It should be in second place. It may be difficult in the beginning, however, as you begin to implement this type of lifestyle, you will quickly get used to it and will start consuming less meat.
• Enhances health of the gut microbiome – It’s no secret that the gut microbiome is one of the most important aspects of our health. If it doesn’t work properly, then our immune system is going to be affected, it will impact our energy, mood, heart health, body weight, and many other things. Unfortunately, many people these days love to practice a Western diet that is full of sugar, fat, processed foods, and doesn’t have enough fiber. Now, food that is high in fiber is extremely beneficial for our gut bacteria. That’s why you should start consuming more plant foods. In a couple of days only, you will notice how your gut bacteria has completely changed.
• Amazing sidekick to every diet – We all know how difficult it is to be on a diet. A majority of people are focused on all the restrictions they have which is why they hardly ever stay on a certain regime for too long. Now, what’s good about vegetables is the fact that most of them you can eat almost as much as you want. Many nutritionists tend to call them free foods because they are low in calories. So whenever you are feeling hungry, just feel free to make a fulfilling salad and you will no longer be hungry.
• Enhance brain health – Here, we are talking about the MIND diet which stands for Mediterranean-DASH Intervention For Neurodegenerative Delay. It represents a mixture of the Mediterranean Diet and DASH. Namely, it is a great option for those who are suffering from Dementia and Alzheimer’s. Furthermore, one study has shown that those who were practicing this type of dietary regime have managed to successfully decrease Alzheimer’s diseases by more than fifty percent. Even if you do not want to follow this diet, if you wish to improve your brain health, increase the portion of collards, kale, broccoli, and spinach. 

Eating healthy has always been considered a priority, but it seems like up until recently, we didn’t want to admit this to ourselves. Luckily, the mindset of a lot of people has changed and as you can see, it’s always a good time to welcome veggies into our lives.