What Percentage of The Population Falls Below The Recommended Daily Vegetable Intake?

  • By Spendlessy
  • Updated: Nov 8, 2023

Out of every 10 people 9 are not eating enough vegetables. As per the latest research report of WHO (World Health Organization) every year around 2.8 million people die due to excessively low consumption of fruits and vegetables in their daily diet intake.

As per WHO and other international Regulatory Food Authorities a minimum of 400g serving of fruits and vegetables are recommended for daily intake. Consuming a variety of fruits and vegetables not only provides you with essential nutrients but also helps in preventing many cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, some types of cancer, high blood pressure, and many digestive problems.

As compared to children, only 9% of adults consume the recommended daily vegetable intake. From various studies, it is reported that the consumption of vegetables is especially low in young men and women.

Top Side Effects Of Not Eating Enough Vegetables

We understand you may not like the taste of vegetables, but do you know these colorful veggies are packed with essential nutrients and are extremely important for your overall health?

If cooked well vegetables are one of the delicious foods. They are versatile in nature which means you can cook them with your chicken, mutton, beef, fish, and in any other form you want.

If you are not eating enough vegetables, you may need to face these side effects:

Frequent Constipation

If all you are eating in a day is meat, meat, and meat then probably you are not getting enough fibres. Vegetables and fruits provide the highest amount of fibre that helps in the easy digestion of food. Fibre plays a great role in stimulating bowel movement. Lack of fibre will cause many digestive issues mainly constipation (irregular bowel movements).

As per the Dietary Guidelines, a daily intake of 28 – 32 grams of fibre is recommended. By adding the following veggies, you can fulfill your daily requirements.

  • 1 cup of cooked sweet potato is equivalent to 6.2 grams of fibre
  • 1 cup of cooked brussels sprouts is equivalent to 6 grams of fibre
  • 1 cup of cooked kale is equivalent to 5 grams of fibre
  • 1 cup of cooked collard greens is equivalent to 5.6 grams of fibre
  • 1 cup of cooked turnips is equivalent to 5 grams of fibre

Deficiency Of Essential Vitamins & Minerals

Vegetables are the best source of essential vitamins and minerals. They are loaded with vitamins A, C, E, folate, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus, and other antioxidants.

These vitamins and minerals are required for the proper functioning of body organs. You may suffer from these diseases if you are taking a diet with no essential vitamins and minerals for a longer period.

  • Insufficient intake of Vitamin A can cause Night Blindness
  • Insufficient intake of Vitamin C can cause Scurvy
  • Insufficient intake of Vitamin D can cause Rickets
  • Insufficient intake of Vitamin B12 can cause Anaemia
  • Insufficient intake of Vitamin K can cause excessive bleeding after an injury
  • Insufficient intake of Vitamin B1 can cause Beri-Beri
  • Insufficient intake of Calcium can cause brittle bones
  • Insufficient intake of Iron can cause Anaemia
  • Insufficient intake of Phosphorus can cause weak teeth and bones
  • Insufficient intake of Copper can cause low appetite and retarded growth

To save yourself and your loved ones from these deficiencies start adding veggies to your daily food intake. You can cook them, add them raw in salads, or you can even drink them in the form of smoothies.

Weak Hair & Nail Bed

Dealing with brittle nails or your hair are dull, thin, and full of split ends? Maybe you are not getting enough vitamins and minerals required for the growth of hair and nails.

One of the most possible causes of hair loss and hair thinning are Vitamin B, Zinc, and Iron deficiency. Try to add some leafy green vegetables to your diet and you will see the difference in the growth and quality of your hair and nails.

Moreover, your face will start to glow, and you appear looking fresh and younger when you start eating enough fruits and vegetables recommended in a day.

Mental Health Problems

You may not know it before but eating vegetables and fruits can improve your mental health. As per the study around 4000 women started eating fruits and vegetables. Those women who took 5 servings of vegetables a day had a 19% lower risk of developing depression than those women who were eating only 1 serving of vegetables.

As per one research report benefit of eating vegetables and fruits to mental health was equivalent to getting a job after some time of unemployment.

One UK study found that increasing the consumption of fruits and vegetables provides the same increase in mental well-being that you get after 8 days of ten-minute walking.

How To Add Vegetables In Your Diet?

  • For breakfast, you can add spinach, green onions, and broccoli to your eggs followed by a smoothie in which you can add a variety of fruits and vegetables.
  • For lunch, along with your main course, you can make a big bowl of salad. You can add cucumber, capsicum, carrot, cabbage, bell pepper, spinach, parsley, or any vegetable you like.
  • For dinner, you can start with a veggie soup or noodles. Veggie noodles are the tastiest way to start eating veggies. You can take carrots, and zucchini, slice them, and top them with your favourite sauce.
  • For kids, you can make vegetable chips. Make thin slices of beetroot, sweet potato, Brussels, and kale, add a little salt or your favorite seasoning and bake them.