| According to statistics, Americans are chronically lacking in fruits and vegetables in their diet. |
Each food has its own special health benefits and disease fighting profiles. They work as a team, complimenting and reinforcing each others benefits.
Most of the antioxidants benefits of fruits and vegetables come from the component that gives them their color.
Make sure your plate is full of different colors!!!
Variety is very important. I know it's easier to shop and eat the same kind of veggies and fruits that we already know. Sometimes we are afraid to experiment but at the same time we miss a lot of good stuff.
Go for a wide variety of kinds and range of colors of produce to give your body the mix of nutrients it needs.
People who eat more generous amounts of fruits and vegetables every day are likely to have reduced risk of chronic disease, including strokes, type 2 diabetes, some types of cancer, heart disease and high blood pressure.
IMPORTANT: Nutrients should come primarily from foods. Foods such as fruits and vegetables contain not only the vitamins and minerals but also other naturally occurring substances that may help protect you from chronic diseases.
"We cannot put nature in a pill"
To make it fun and easy to shop and prepare a meal using all the different group of colors, I will group them by their colors.
Red fruits and vegetables are colored by natural pigments called "lycopene" or "anthocyanins".
Lycopene in tomatoes, watermelon and pink grapefruit, for example, may help reduce risk of several types of cancer, especially prostate cancer. Lycopene in foods containing cooked tomatoes, such as spaghetti sauce, and a small amount of fat are absorbed better than lycopene from raw tomatoes.
Anthocyanins in strawberries, raspberries, red grapes and other fruits and vegetables act as powerful antioxidants that protect cells from damage. Antioxidants are linked with keeping our hearts healthy too.
- Red apples
- Beets
- Red cabbage
- Cherries
- Cranberries
- Pink grapefruit
- Red grapes
- Red peppers
- Pomegranates
- Red potatoes
- Radishes
- Raspberries
- Rhubarb
- Strawberries
- Tomatoes
- Watermelon
See you soon and don't forget to eat your fruits and vegetables!
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