It is believed that the more colours you have on your plate, the more nutritious your meal is. Your diet should have all the colours like reds from tomatoes, greens from leafy vegetables, browns from grains and yellows and oranges from fruits.
All vegetables contain nutrients which are necessary to fulfill the requirements of our body. Whenever we cut down the intake of vegetables in our diet, the body starts showing some signs due to the lack of nutrients. Here are some that you should look out for:
1. Bleeding gums and bruising
One of the major reasons for bleeding gums is improper oral hygiene. However, another common reason for bleeding gums is vitamin C deficiency. Our body doesn't produce vitamin C, so you need to make sure you’re getting enough of it from your diet.
Also, in the absence of vitamin C, the body becomes prone to easy bruising. Vitamin C not only helps in maintaining your immune system but also promotes faster healing and prevents any cell damage. Vitamin C is not only found in abundance in citrus fruits such as lemons and oranges but is also present in red capsicums, kale, red chilli peppers, dark leafy vegetables, broccoli and tomatoes.
2. Fatigue
Whenever there is a deficiency of folate in the body, one may complain of constant fatigue and tiredness. Folic acid can be given to the body through green leafy vegetables, legumes, black-eyed peas, kidney beans, lima beans, navy beans, asparagus and lentils.
3. Muscle cramps
If you are having continuous muscle cramps, then it could be an indication of potassium deficiency in your body. The muscles of our body require a certain amount of potassium for smooth muscle contraction. Green leafy vegetables like spinach, swiss chard and sweet potatoes are the best vegetable sources of potassium. You could also consume bananas: one medium banana has about 422 mg of potassium.
4. Constipation
In the absence of fibre in the diet, our stool can get hard which makes it difficult to pass through the bowel. Dietary fibre from vegetables helps in adding more bulk to the waste and in moving it more quickly through the intestines. A person should consume at least 25 grams of fibre daily in their diet, preferably soluble fibres as they absorb water and form a gel-like paste, thus softening the stool. Foods like oat bran, barley, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils and peas are rich in soluble fibres. Make sure that you drink enough water while increasing your daily fibre intake.
5. Forgetfulness
Forgetting things may seem quite normal but when this forgetfulness becomes more frequent, then this means something is not okay with your brain health. Occasional forgetfulness can be a sign of nutritional deficiency in the brain. Studies have revealed that lutein, a nutrient produced only by plants, is known to enhance learning and memory. Lutein can be found in a variety of vegetables such as leafy greens, carrots, broccoli, corn, and tomatoes.