Do I "need" to eat vegetables?
If you feel like you don’t eat enough vegetables each day, you’re not alone. According to the most recent data from the CDC, only 1 in 10 Americans actually eat the recommended 2-3 cups of vegetables per day. There are many reasons it’s a challenge – cost, access, food waste, increased preparation time, limited knowledge / skills, and taste preferences are all known and real challenges.
But what’s the big deal? Can you replace the value of vegetables with other foods or a supplement? The answer boils down to food chemistry and health research.
Fun Fact : Vegetable vs Fruit
Vitamins and Minerals
One of the top reasons to eat vegetables is for the laundry list of vitamins and minerals they provide such as potassium, magnesium, vitamin A, folate, vitamin C, and vitamin K to name a few. While these nutrients are essential for the body, they’re not exclusive to vegetables. They can be found in other foods. For example, potassium is also plentiful in many fruits, most dairy products as well as nuts, seeds, beans, and seafood.
And yes, a vitamin supplement can provide missing vitamins and minerals, but it’s not an equal trade. Often the form and dose of the compound is different than what’s found in food and not as readily absorbed. Additionally, a pill doesn’t provide the other three assets below.
Fiber
Vegetables are loaded with fiber - a carbohydrate compound found only in plants. Fiber passes through the body undigested but supports many functions including but not limited to regulating bowel movements, blood glucose, and blood cholesterol levels as well as preventing cancer and heart disease.
You can also get fiber from other plant based foods such fruits, whole grains (oatmeal, brown rice, quinoa, whole grain bread), popcorn, nuts, seeds, beans, and legumes. However fiber from these compounds also come with a higher density of starch, sugar, and salt. Which is great if you need the additional dietary energy! But for someone with diabetes or insulin resistance, it’s a tricky trade-off.
Antioxidants and Phytonutrients
The human body is regularly exposed to free radicals which damage our body’s cells and tissues. Antioxidants and phytochemicals are, respectively, chemical and natural compounds found in plants. They are thought to remove free radicals from the body before they can do damage. Which in turn may protect the body from certain chronic disease such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes
While many vegetables have a wealth of phytochemicals, so do other foods. Antioxidants and phytonutrients are also found in other plant based foods such as fruits as well as lesser amounts in whole grains. Additionally, foods with omega 3 fatty acids have antioxidant properties. These include foods such as fatty fish (salmon, tuna), nuts, seeds, avocado. Additionally many spices and teas have been shown to have phytonutrients in them.
Displacement
Our society places the greatest value of vegetables on their ability to replace other foods in the diet and thereby reduce the overall energy consumed. Since non-starchy vegetables are primarily water and fiber, they provide very little energy from carbohydrate, protein, and/or fat. Which is a benefit if you, for some reason aren't interested in giving your body energy. But for those with high energy needs and/or diminished appetite (eg, athletes, toddlers, those recovering from an eating disorder) this energy displacement is a serious downside.
It can be beneficial if you’re trying to reduce the saturated fat in your diet to reduce cholesterol or perhaps reduce the carbohydrate content to help manage blood sugar. But it’s not a universal goal for all bodies to avoid energy – that doesn’t make it “healthier.”
Some people might believe that “displacement” or “feeling full with little energy” is the primary benefit of vegetables in health. But in reality, the health benefits of vegetables are more about the above topics (fiber, antioxidants, vits/mins) than avoiding energy.