From diets to lose weight to special diets to overcome a disease, fruits and vegetables are foods that are never missed. The benefits of fruits and vegetables are abundant, but many people do not like to eat them.
What is the real cause of not liking to eat vegetables and fruit and are there any negative effects of this habit? Check out the answer in the following review.
What causes people don't like fruits and vegetables?
The dislike of fruits and vegetables is not just a matter of taste.
A team of researchers from the University of Kentucky, USA, suspect that there are certain genes that make vegetables taste more bitter for some people.
Humans have two copies of a taste gene called TAS2R38. This gene interacts with certain proteins in the nodules of the tongue, causing a bitter taste.
There are two variants of the TAS2R38 gene, namely AVI and PAV.
People who inherit both copies of the AVI gene are insensitive to the bitter taste of the vegetable's natural chemicals.
On the other hand, those who inherit one AVI gene and one PAV gene are sensitive to these substances, so they tend to dislike vegetables and fruit.
The researchers looked at the diets of 175 people over a three year period.
They found that people who had two copies of the PAV gene ate significantly less green vegetables.
In addition to genes, food texture plays a role in making a person dislike fruit and vegetables.
The texture of vegetables that for some people seem "weird" often gives rise to the suggestion that they smell and taste bad.
The dangers of not eating fruits and vegetables
Consumption of fruits and vegetables provides many health benefits.
Some of its main benefits are lowering blood pressure, maintaining digestive health, and reducing the risk of obesity and cardiovascular disease.
Therefore, people who rarely eat fruits and vegetables are more susceptible to various health problems.
You may experience vitamin deficiencies, constipation from a lack of fiber, and a higher risk of chronic disease.
According to a report in the journal BMC Public Health, insufficient intake of vegetables and fruit is associated with cancer, stroke, and heart disease.
In fact, about 3.9 million cases of death in the world are related to this eating habit.
Tips so you like to eat fruits and vegetables
Although dislike of fruits and vegetables is related to genetic factors, that doesn't mean you can't learn to like both.
Here are some tips you can do to start liking fruits and vegetables.
- Start by eating the fruits and vegetables you like.
- Cooking vegetables with spices so that the bitter taste of vegetables is disguised.
- Processing fruits and vegetables into smoothies or juices, but remember that this will reduce the fiber content.
- Processing vegetables into snacks such as spinach chips or vegetable martabak.
- Choose colorful fresh vegetables.
How to fulfill your fruit and vegetable intake even if you don't like it
Here are some tips to increase your fruit and vegetable intake every day.
1. Add vegetables to your favorite menu
If you don't like vegetables in the form of kale or spinach, try adding vegetables to other dishes, such as fried rice or fried noodles.
However, make sure you cook the vegetables properly and don't overcook them.
2. Put the fruit into the dish
Try turning pineapple, mango, or lemon into your favorite sweet and sour sauce or chili sauce.
Although the fruit used is not much, this method can help you get used to eating fruit while increasing fruit intake every day.
3. Make vegetables and fruit as snacks
You don't like fruits and vegetables because of their bitter taste and raw smell?
Does not matter. There are some sweet fruits and vegetables that you can make as a snack substitute for ice cream and sugary drinks, such as mangoes, bananas, oranges, and baby carrots.
4. Know how to process vegetables well
Knowing vegetable processing techniques can help you maintain the complete nutrition of vegetables while producing delicious dishes.
Take for example, the best way to cook broccoli is by means of a short boil or blanching.
5. Make a smoothie or juice
By making smoothies or juices, you won't even realize you've been eating large amounts of fruit and vegetables.
Just mix in your favorite fruits and vegetables, but try not to use a lot of added sweeteners.
It is natural for a person not to like fruits and vegetables. However, that doesn't mean you can't eat them at all.
By changing your diet to be healthier little by little, it is not impossible that fruits and vegetables become one of your favorite foods.
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