Red Fruits
and Vegetables
The
phytochemicals in red foods are carotenoids and anthocyanins. One of the most
abundant carotenoids is lycopene. Lycopene helps reduce damage from free
radicals in your body and it also prevents heart disease, cancer, prostrate
problems, and reduces the skin damage from the sun. These red foods help memory
function, urinary tract health, and makes your heart healthy.
Red fruits
and vegetables are also often very high in vitamin C, which helps encourage
cellular renewal in your body.
Orange
Fruits and Vegetables
Carotenoids
are the powerful phytochemical in orange foods, and they are what give the
foods their color. Carotenoids repair DNA and help prevent cancer and heart
disease, as well as strengthening our vision.
These orange
foods also give us the right amount of potassium and vitamin A, which keeps our
eyes and skin healthy, and protects against infections. They are also known to
boost the immune system because of the vitamin C content in many of them. Some
of these also cross over with the health benefits of the yellow foods below.
Yellow
Fruits and Vegetables
Yellow foods
are high in antioxidants like vitamin C. Vitamin C keeps our teeth and gums
healthy, helps to heal cuts, improves the mucus membranes (like when we have
colds), helps to absorb iron, prevents inflammation, improves circulation, and
therefore prevents heart disease. Some of the darker ones also cross over with
the health benefits of orange foods.
Green
Fruits and Vegetables
These foods
have the phytochemicals sulforaphane and indoles, which both prevent cancer.
They are also good for the circulatory system and have good vitamin B and
minerals.
On this list
of fruits and vegetables, the vitamin K in green foods also helps with vision,
and with maintaining strong bones and teeth. Some of the yellower green
vegetables have carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin that help to prevent
cataracts and eye disease, as well as osteoporosis.
Greenish/White
Fruits and Vegetables
The strong
phytochemical in these whitish/greenish vegetables is called allicin and
allium, which create an anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-viral chemical
environment in your body.
Some white
foods prevent cancer and heart disease, and lower cholesterol levels. Celery is
often dubbed as a useless vegetable because it has no calories, but it does
have minerals like good sodium that help keep the joints healthy. The selenium
in mushrooms helps prevent cancer and keeps your body in balance.
Everything on
this greenish/white list of fruits and vegetables helps maintain low
cholesterol levels in your body as well as a healthy heart.
Blue/Indigo/Violet
Fruits and Vegetables
The blue,
indigo, and violet list of fruits and vegetables are great for their anti-aging
properties. These foods have tons of antioxidants, specifically anthocyanins
and phenolics. Some blue and purple fruits and vegetables are also really high
in vitamin C.
Anything in
this category will help improve circulation and prevent blood clots, so they
are great for the heart and can help prevent heart disease. They are also known
to help memory function and urinary tract health and to reduce free radical
damage.
Be certain to eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables on a daily basis. For your health, for your nutrients, for disease fighting antigens .... and because they are simply delicious!!
Organic Tip.
If the fruit of vegetable contains a skin or peel, which will be discarded prior to consumption - it is not necessary to spend the extra money on organic. However, if the skin or peel is consumed, such as in the case of an apple, it is advisable to purchase organically to avoid the ingestion of pesticides and other chemicals.
Don't forget to buy local produce whenever possible and to save money, buy what is in season!!
