Protective Effects of Eating Vegetables and Fruits

A few years back I wrote an article titled: "New Evidence for the Protective Effects of Raw Cruciferous Vegetables: Eating Raw Broccoli, Cauliflower, or Cabbage May Benefit Your Health!" The article was based on a poster presentation I saw at a science conference (2007 Annual American Association of Cancer Research Prevention Meeting (Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research).

At that time I though this information was very important to spread so I wrote that article. Now, 3 years later, I have found that it is very important to people to read about the importance of eating plenty of vegetables and fruits and to know their improving effects on human health. Recent studies have backed what was claimed there.

Oxidative damage is said to be the result of a balance between free radical generation and antioxidant defenses.It is believed that this oxidative damage plays a critical role in the development of cardiovascular diseases, cancer, the aging process, many inflammatory diseases, and a many types of neurological disorders.

A pilot study of four weeks was undertaken to investigate the effect of supplements of vegetable and fruit extracts on lipid peroxide concentrations (a measure of oxidative stress). The supplement had dried extracts from carrots, parsley, beets, broccoli, kale, cabbage, spinach, and tomatoes and fruit juice extracts from apples, oranges, pineapples, papayas, cranberries, and peaches. The study showed that blood plasma lipid peroxide concentrations decreased (in all subjects) from 16.85 to 3.13 µmol/L within 1 wk and remained in this range through the additional 3 wk of treatment.

Many research studies in humans have shown the ability of plant based foods and some of its chemical components to change the antioxidant balance including changes in enzyme profiles and improvement of the immune system. Also, they can change cholesterol and steroid hormone concentrations and the body metabolism. Thus, vegetables may be a way to change (for better) our health and start preventing many diseases and health conditions.

Sources:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/471720/new_evidence_for_the_protective_effects.html?cat=5

Wise JA, Morin RJ, Sanderson R, Blum K. Changes in plasma carotenoid, alpha-tocopherol, and lipid peroxide levels in response to supplementation with concentrated fruit and vegetable extracts: a pilot study. Curr Ther Res Clin Exp 1996;57:445-61.