Your mother had good reasons to urge you to eat your vegetables. Plant-based foods such as fruits and vegetables are rich in nutrients. Everyone has heard about the vitamins and minerals they contain, but you might not be aware that some of the other compounds, the ones that give vegetables and fruits their colors and flavors, could also have benefits for your health. They might even prevent weight gain.
The Study:
A new study from Harvard used the data from the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, the Nurses’ Health Study and the Nurses’ Health Study II. Altogether, these studies include more than 12,000 people. These health professionals have been conscientious about answering detailed questionnaires every few years between 1986 and 2011. (Actually, many of them are still answering those questionnaires, but this study only uses data up to 2011.) Not only did they give details on what they eat, they also answered questions about what they weigh.
More Plant Compounds Help Prevent Weight Gain:
What the researchers found is that the more colorful plant compounds such as anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins and flavonoids the volunteers consumed, the less likely they were to have a significant change in weight. Since most American adults have steady if modest increases in weight over time, this is an important result. As the researchers put it, “Increased intake of most flavonoid subclasses, with the exception of flavones and flavanones, was inversely associated with weight gain.”
What Should You Eat?
What that means in plain English is that the folks who included more blueberries and strawberries, apples, bell peppers, celery, onions and tomatoes in their daily diets enjoyed more stable weights over the years. These people were also drinking more tea (and a little red wine). As the authors note, “preventing even small amounts of weight gain could have an important public health impact.”
Besides, these vegetables and fruits are delicious! Who wouldn’t be willing to eat more apples, pears, berries and peppers, especially knowing that it could help prevent weight gain?
For ideas on delicious ways to prepare these vegetables and fruits, you may be interested in our book, Recipes & Remedies from The People’s Pharmacy.
