Color Your Way to More Fruits and Veggies

When you add deep reds or bright pinks to your daily diet, you are also adding a powerful antioxidant called lycopene. Lycopene is found in:

• tomatoes
• red and pink grapefruit
• watermelon
• papaya
• guava
  

Diets rich in lycopene are currently being studied for their ability to fight heart disease and some cancers.

Do you know why this color is so essential to your diet? Not only do green vegetables look great and taste wonderful, but they are also rich in the phytochemicals that keep you healthy. For example, the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin have antioxidant properties that are thought to protect your eyes by keeping your retina strong. Tese are found in:

• spinach
• collards
• kale
• broccoli

Some cruciferous vegetables may also reduce the risk of cancerous tumors, including:

• cabbage
• Brussels sprouts
• cauliflower
• kale
• turnips

Orange is a must-have in your daily diet. Orange vegetables and fruits contain beta-carotene. This carotenoid is a natural antioxidant that is thought to enhance the immune system. In addition to being touted as a powerful health-protector, orange fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamin C.

Folate, most often found in leafy greens, is also found in orange fruits and vegetables. Folate is a B-vitamin that may help prevent some birth defects and reduce your risk of heart disease.

Try:

• sweet potatoes
• mangos
• carrots
• apricots

Like oranges, yellows are also high in essential vitamins and carotenoids. Pineapple, for example, is rich in vitamin C, manganese, and the natural enzyme bromelain, while corn and pears are high in fiber. You can go for gold with yellows!

Blues and purples not only bring shades of tranquility and richness to your plate, they also add health-enhancing flavonoids, phytochemicals, and antioxidants.

Anthocyanins (a type of phytochemical) are pigments responsible for the blue color in vegetables and fruits, and are currently being studied for their role in the body’s defence of harmful carcinogens.

Blueberries in particular are rich in vitamin C and folic acid, and high in fiber and potassium.

You can also try:

• purple cabbage
• eggplant
• plums
• grapes

White vegetables from the onion family, which include garlic, chives, scallions, leeks, and any variety of onion, contain the phytochemical allicin. Allicin may help lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and increase the body’s ability to fight infections.

Certain phytochemicals found in cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower, as well as in pears and green grapes, are currently being investigated for their ability to inhibit certain cancer growths.