With that golden glow, you can bet vegan surfer Tia Blanco is eating her veggies! Photo: @tiablanco Credit: Chris DeLorenzo.
By now, we all know we’re supposed to eat veggies all day, every day. Our mothers have told us, our doctors have told us, hell, even our favorite pros have told us. Despite these efforts, most people still don’t eat the recommended amount of vegetables. In fact, 87% of American don’t achieve the recommended goal of 2-3 cups per day, and over half the US population fails to eat just a cup and a half per day. That’s pretty weak, America. Apparently, no matter how often we hear we need to eat veggies for our immune system, our digestive system, and our overall health, we’re just stubbornly opposed to eating those greens.
Well, for those of you looking for a bit of a rude awakening, you need to eat veggies to look good. Science says so. One study from the University of Nottingham found that eating vegetables gives you a healthier looking glow than a sun tan. The study found that people had a more attractive glow when eating carrots and tomatoes frequently than when going in the sun frequently. The vegetables rich in carotenoids help soak up damaging compounds formed by the stress of everyday life, and they leave skin looking refreshed and glowing. When strangers observed photos of people who ate veggies compared to people with suntans, the strangers resoundingly replied that those who ate more produce were more attractive.
Another study from St. Andrew’s observed similar results. The study found that people who ate 3 additional servings of vegetables for 6 weeks were deemed more attractive than those whose intake was lower. The study found that the additional vegetable servings created a “desireable golden skin tone” in those who increased their vegetable consumption. The study noted that even small adjustments in a person’s diet can result in positive changes in the appearance and attractiveness of the skin.
In addition to giving your skin a healthy glow, eating vegetables helps keep your waist trim and your body lean. Those who eat primarily a plant-based diet tend to weigh less than those who eat meat. One study found that over the course of 5 years, people who had a higher proportion of plant foods in their diet gained less weight than counterparts who ate a lower proportion of plant foods. Researchers attributed this difference to the antioxidant and fiber content in vegetables, as well as the fact that vegetables can actually boost the number of calories your body burns. Not to mention veggies are a great, low-calorie way to fill up compared to starches.
Finally, veggies can help you workout better, and specific vegetables have been known to increase endurance and improve recovery. For example, tomato juice can decrease exercise-induced stress on the body by 84%, and water cress can help counter the negative effects of exercise. Another study found that cyclists who drank 16 oz of beet juice every day for 6 days could cycle up to 16% longer than they were able to with a placebo beverage. So not only can veggies help you stay trim, but they can help you get stronger too.
So there you have it: if health wasn’t enough to motivate you to eat your greens, maybe vanity will be! Chow down, and you’ll see the results.
