To achieve the mystical "Negative Energy Balance"
Health and weight-loss benefits of fruits and vegetables
What is a "Negative Energy Balance"? This is a mystical state where your body exerts more energy than what you take in. The negative energy balance is the Holy Grail in weight loss. In theory it’s very easy eat less and exercise more. Spend more energy than you take. Modern life's easy access to energy rich food makes this a very challenging Task. For instance cooking oil, in which most fast foods are prepared, contains so much energy it can be converted to fuel for motor vehicles.
It is possible to get closer to meeting this challenge by making small manageable adjustments to your lifestyle. For a start, eating food low in energy will almost win the battle for you. Which brings us to fruits? Ever since I can remember my mother told me to eat all my veggies and eat more fruit. I definitely did not realize the value of that advice.
There is estimated to be more than 100 beneficial vitamins, minerals, fiber and other dietary components some of which are found in particular types of fruits and vegetables. These photochemical and other potential anti-carcinogenic compounds include certain chemicals called terpenes which produces enzymes that deactivate carcinogens (chemicals that cause cancer), dietary fiber which binds and dilutes carcinogenic substances and help speed the transit time of carcinogens through the GI tract, Vitamin C and E which act as strong antioxidants protecting unsaturated fatty acids in cell membranes from oxidation, folic acid which help maintain the normal expression of genes, potassium which helps maintain normal blood pressure , selenium which is a cofactor for glutathione peroxidase (an enzyme that protects against oxidative tissue damage). [1] Complete lists of phytochemicals can be found at wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_phytochemicals_in_food
Health benefits of diets high in fruit and vegetables include a definite reduction in the incidence of cancer. A report by the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research estimated that diets high in vegetables and fruits could prevent at least 20 % of all cancer incidents. It is also reported that diets high in fruit and vegetables can have a protective effect against death from coronary disease in some cases even reversing heart disease without the use of medicine. Fruit and vegetables can also reduce the risk of stroke with up to 25 %[1].
In addition to health benefits research showed that the greater the intake of fiber from vegetables and fruits, vitamin C, B6 ß-carotene, and folic acid the greater the weight-loss after a 6 month period. A 100g increase in fruit and vegetable intake led to a weight-loss of 300-500g over a 6 month period. Dark or yellow fruits and vegetables led to even better results. [2]
Fruit add weight to meals and dietary intake without increasing the calorie intake thus decreasing your energy intake. Together with more daily physical activity the energy balance will tip in your favor and the need for torturous diets and slimming regimes disappears.
Following a mother’s advice will noticeably improve state of health and probably save large amounts of money in medical bills for prevented diseases and conditions.
The Author used the following references:
[1] VAN DUYN, M.A., PIVONKA, E. 2000. Overview of the health benefits of fruit and vegetable consumption for the dietetcs profesional: Selected literature. Journal of the American Dietetic Association. p1511-1521.
[2] SARTORELLI, D.S., FRANCO, L.J., CARDOSO, M.A. 2008. High intake of fruits and vegetables predicts weight loss in Brazilian overweight adults. Nutrition Research. vol 28. p233-238.
[3] CONCEICAO DE OLIVIERA, M., SICHIERI, R., MOZZER, R.V. 2008. A low-energy-dense diet adding fruit reduces weight and energy intake in women. Appetite. Vol 51. p291-295.
[4] CRUJEIRAS, A.B., PARRA, D., RODRIGUES, D., MARTINEZ DE MORENTIN, B.E., MARTINEZ, A. 2006. A role for fruit in energy-restricted diets in improving antioxidant status in obese women during weight loss. Applied nutritional investigation. Vol 22. p593-599.