Healthy Tip: Eat Your Colors!!

Eating a rainbow of fruits and vegetables is a great way to ensure you're getting a variety of vitamins and minerals. Fruits and vegetables contain compounds called phytonutrients (aka phytochemicals or micronutrients) which is what gives plants both their distinctive color and aroma. These chemicals are produced naturally by plants to protect themselves, but when consumed may also help humans protect themselves from disease. Some of the astounding things these nutrients do for us are lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure, enhance immune system response, detoxify the blood, fight fungi/bacteria/virus, anti-inflammatory, alter estrogen metabolism, relieve allergies, serve as antioxidants (slow aging), repair DNA damage, upgrade disease preventing genes, downgrade disease promoting genes and kill cancer cells! They can also help prevent and heal heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Here is just some of the things adding different colors to your plate can do for you!

YELLOW/ORANGE: sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkin, mango, corn, apricots, and cantaloupe all contain a variety of carotenoids, an antioxidant that reduces your risk of developing cancer. They are also high in vitamin A and make a great snack for after a workout, since they help repair micro tears in well worked muscles. Fruits such as oranges, peaches, nectarines, pineapple, and papaya are rich in vitamin C and flavanoids, another group of antioxidants which help our immune systems.

GREEN: vegetables such as kale, spinach, and broccoli are high in lutein, which keeps your vision sharp and clear. The green cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, bok choy, and watercress contain the chemicals sulforaphane, isothiocyanate and idoles that help breakdown cancer-causing compounds. Green beans, avocados, kiwi, lettuce, green peppers, and honeydew melon are also full of antioxidants.

BLUE/PURPLE: blueberries, blackberries, plums, red grapes, eggplant, radishes, red cabbage, cranberries, and pomegranates are chock full of anthocyanins, which help reduce inflammation, protect against cancer, maintain flexible bloods vessels, may suppress tumor growth, and recent studies show good effects in eyes, arteries, and brains. 

RED: tomatoes, watermelon, and pink grapefruit are loaded with lycopene, shown to protect against cancer and heart disease. Apricots and pink guavas are also sources. The lycopene in tomatoes can also improve the skin's ability to protect itself against damaging UV rays.

WHITE: cauliflower has cancer-fighting properties, potatoes are a good source of vitamin C and potassium, and there is evidence that the sulfur compounds in garlic and onions may ward off stomach and colon cancers. 

What colors have you eaten today?