The Role Of Vegetables In Health

To bulk up your body with muscle, learn to bulk up your diet with vegetables. Low in calories, vegetables also provide a host of nutrients that are otherwise deficient in many bodybuilding diets, including fiber, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals.

Here's a news flash: If you want to make the most of your health and your bodybuilding gains, then you had better include at least two cups of vegetables a day. They contribute to a stronger immune system, improved absorption and stable energy levels--all factors that play a role in recovery and growth.

• EAT VEGETABLES FOR FIBER :
  Vegetables are high in fiber, one of the most widely neglected bodybuilding nutrients. Fiber is an indigestible carbohydrate that supplies no calories to your body, but it does provide bulk, which slows digestion. This has two essential benefits. First, carbohydrates enter your body more slowly. This helps hold your blood sugar levels in check, keeping energy levels up and "crashes" at bay. When blood sugar levels crash, they cause a spike in cortisol, a catabolic hormone that breaks down muscle tissue and makes recovery more difficult. Second, fiber helps support the absorption of amino acids. It keeps the walls of your intestines clean, making them more efficient. This in turn allows you to get more bang for your buck from your protein consumption.


• EAT VEGETABLES FOR WHAT WE DON'T KNOW :
  One thing we do know about vegetables is that we don't know everything that's in them. Recent information has demonstrated this. Scientists have established that vegetables contain lycopene, phytochemicals, antioxidants, carotenoids and sulfur compounds that contribute to numerous metabolic functions including immune support. Effective posttraining recovery calls for a strong immune system. When it's weak, not only do you fail to recover, but also your muscles may fail to grow regardless of your high calorie and protein intake. So, eat your vegetables for their known benefits as well as the ones yet to be discovered.


• EAT 'DEM GREENS :
  If your bodybuilding program isn't as successful as you think it should be, consider improving your diet. Eating more vegetables is one of the most basic ways to accomplish this. Bodybuilders usually eat plenty of protein and complex carbohydrates, but they often overlook vegetables. Compared to the bodybuilding benefits of protein, those from vegetables may be less tangible, but vegetables can indeed have a potent indirect effect on muscle gains