Benefits Of Vegetables For Weight Loss

Overview

When it comes to weight loss, it is important to start examining what is on your plate. Because by not eating the right types of meals, it makes it hard to progress in the weight loss journey. The greatest foods for weight loss are unprocessed whole foods that are preferably organic.

Vegetables are some of the healthiest foods that support and aid in natural weight loss. Not only are they high in fibre, which helps in keeping you fuller for longer, but they are also low in calories and fat. Another bonus is they assist in lowering inflammatory bloating your body and lowering inflammation throughout your body.1

Can vegetables help with weight loss?

Vegetables help with weight loss in two major ways. Firstly, they help keep you feeling full for longer. This is due to the water and fibre in vegetables, you can feel full more efficiently than in foods with much less fibre such as processed carbs. Blending vegetables with healthy fats and protein will keep you satisfied for longer. Vegetables also help prevent spikes in your energy levels, with fibre in vegetables helping to regulate your blood sugar. Therefore, consuming vegetables each day stops cravings for sugar and late afternoon energy slumps encountered when eating processed carbohydrates.

Why are vegetables good for weight loss?

Vegetables help you lose weight as they tend to be lower in calories while keeping you healthy and full for longer. This allows you to eat fewer calories while still feeling satisfied and overall more satisfied than relying on foods devoid of nutrients.

Several studies show that a diet rich in a variety of vegetables can help reduce the hardening of arteries. This helps prevent inflammation, a factor of many degenerative diseases including heart disease and diabetes, as well as lower cholesterol levels. Researchers argue antioxidants such as vitamins C and selenium might be accountable for this effect. This makes vegetables the ultimate food replacement as processed carbohydrates and junk food are full of unhealthy fats and deficient in nutrients.2

Benefits of vegetables for weight loss

Eating healthy and nutrient-rich food fills your body with nutrients, antioxidants, and energy. The following are reasons why vegetables are beneficial for weight loss:

  • Eating a broad range of vegetables helps the gaining of the desired amount of fibre, minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants for health
  • Vegetables make your diet less complex, incorporating them creates the balance necessary to make the body feel fuller (for longer)
  • Consuming vegetables regularly means consuming vitamins and minerals regularly, this will help the body work properly
  • Supports the immune system and allows the maintenance of gut health, which supports a stronger metabolism3

What vegetables can help fasten weight loss?

Some vegetables which can help fasten weight loss are:

  • Spinach And Other Leafy Greens: Kale and other leafy green vegetables such as lettuce and spinach are very nutritious and good for burning belly fat. Many studies conducted on the topic of fat-burning capabilities have shown spinach as the best option
  • Mushrooms: Mushrooms are known to stimulate weight loss and burn fat through the regulation of glucose levels in the blood. This vegetable is particularly loved by vegetarians and non-vegetarians and has even made appearances as an ingredient in coffees due to its ability to increase the nutritional value in foods
  • Cauliflower And Broccoli – Broccoli and cauliflower contain phytochemicals that allow and support fat loss in the body. They also host health-boosting vitamins and minerals and contain high-quality fibre
  • Pumpkin – Pumpkin is one of the best vegetables to include in your weight loss diet,4 this vegetable is not only low in calories but is high in fibre

Can you lose weight by just eating vegetables?

It is important to approach weight loss in a healthy and balanced way. Other than eating a healthy diet of vegetables, exercise is also vital for weight loss. Skipping this can mean you will not see results.

Simultaneously, just exercising and not introducing a form of diet is also going to inhibit any change. Another crucial factor to try and reduce is stress levels, which can be achievede by getting adequate sleep and drinking sufficient water. Doctors recommend getting regular check-ups for hormonal imbalances, which may help in reducing fat and keeping it off.

Are there any side effects of eating too many vegetables?

Vegetables include many kinds of dietary fibre, minerals, vitamins, and other nutrients. Consuming the correct quantity of vegetables can support bowel movements and intestinal peristalsis. This delivers the required micronutrients into the body and therefore guarantees the standard function of organs in the human body. Nevertheless, extreme consumption of vegetables can also bring dangers to human health. First, having too many vegetables can cause indigestion. This is when people eat a large number of vegetables with a high content of fibre that can easily lead to indigestion. These vegetables involve bamboo shoots and celery and patients with gastrointestinal diseases are advised not to eat too many vegetables. Furthermore, crude fibre may also trigger stomach bleeding in cirrhosis patients, which can aggravate the disease. Research has also shown eating too many vegetables can affect bone growth in children, this is due to the way vegetables can hinder the absorption of zinc and calcium in the body. Therefore, this is harmful to children and pregnant women.

Eating too many vegetables can also lead to calculus. Vegetables like celery, tomato, and spinach contain a harmful quantity of oxalic acid, which combines with the calcium in other foods and can lead to calculus. For those who have already suffered from calculus, consuming more vegetables will exacerbate the condition of the disease. Because most vegetables are alkaline, eating a lot can increase the chance of forming stones as well as make discharging these stones difficult.5

Summary

It is vital to approach weight loss in a balanced and healthy way, this means eating a diet of vegetables while incorporating exercise. Vegetables are some of the healthiest and most beneficial foods that aid in natural weight loss. This is for many reasons, but especially that they are high in fibre and are low in calories and fat. However, it should be noted that having too many vegetables can cause problems such as indigestion, hence people with gastrointestinal diseases are cautioned from consuming too many vegetables. 

References

  1. Roser H. The benefits of vegetables for weight loss | holly roser fitness [Internet]. Holly Roser. 2020 [cited 2022 Dec 11]. Available from: https://www.hollyroser.com/post/the-benefits-of-vegetables-for-weight-loss
  2. 5 reasons vegetables may help you lose weight and live longer | atkins [Internet]. [cited 2022 Dec 11]. Available from: https://www.atkins.com/how-it-works/library/articles/5-reasons-vegetables-may-help-you-lose-weight-and-live-longer
  3. Lui DN, RD, M.H.Sc. The 12 best vegetables for weight loss, according to dietitians [Internet]. EatingWell. [cited 2022 Dec 11]. Available from: https://www.eatingwell.com/article/7938735/the-best-vegetables-for-weight-loss-according-to-dietitians/
  4. Weight loss: top 9 vegetables to include in your diet to burn belly fat [Internet]. NDTV.com. [cited 2022 Dec 11]. Available from: https://www.ndtv.com/food/weight-loss-top-9-vegetables-to-include-in-your-diet-to-burn-belly-fat-1885607
  5. The harmful effects of eating too much vegetables - chempedia - lookchem [Internet]. [cited 2022 Dec 11]. Available from: https://www.lookchem.com/chempedia/health-and-chemical/9015.html
This content is purely informational and isn’t medical guidance. It shouldn’t replace professional medical counsel. Always consult your physician regarding treatment risks and benefits. See our editorial standards for more details.

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Iqra Khalif

Pharmaceutical Science, University of Hertfordshire

Iqra Khalif is a pharmaceutical scientist with deep roots in research and development. She has a leadership qualification in global health and is interested in strategising for innovation in the life sciences.
She currently works in data analytics and management for a health-tech startup.

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