Leafy green vegetables like brocoli and spinach are nutritional heavy hitters, but there are other brightly coloured foods that are equally important for optimum health. Vibrant red, blue, purple, orange and yellow fruit and vegetables deserve your mealtime attention too. So more the colors in your diet,it ensures more health benefits with protection from various degenerative diseases like cancer,heart diseases,diabetes,premature aging etc.
Red foods
Who?
Tomatoes, watermelon, red bell peppers, cherries, Red Delicious apples,strawberries, raspberries, guavas, red onions, radishes, pink grapefruit, beets, red cabbage, small red beans, red grapes, red kidney beans.
Why eat red foods?
Red foods have a very protective antioxidant effect.Tomatoes, watermelon, pink grapefruit, and guavas are bursting with the cancer-fighting antioxidant lycopene. Red Delicious apples are an excellent source of quercetin, an antioxidant that crushes cell-damaging free radicals that can cause premature aging, heart disease and cancer. Radishes, cherries, red cabbage, strawberries, cranberries and red grapes contain anthocyanin, another cancer fighting antioxidant that can also aid blood pressure, improve circulation, lower inflammation and boost the immune system.
Blue and purple foods
Who?
Purple grapes, blackberries, raisins, eggplant, pomegranates, blueberries, purple cabbage.
Why eat blue and purple foods?
Anthocyanin, present in blue colored foods helps protect the skin from sun damage, reduces the risk of stroke, improves memory and guards the cardiovascular system against plaque and LDL cholesterol damage.
Orange and yellow foods
Who?
Carrots, oranges, sweet potatoes, yellow bell peppers, pineapple, pumpkin, corn, grapefruit, peaches, lemons, papaya, pears, mangoes.
Why eat orange and yellow foods?
Yellow bell peppers, papaya, and citrus fruit such as oranges, lemons and grapefruit come jam-packed with immunity-boosting vitamin C - the perfect antidote if you’re fighting off a cold. Sweet potatoes, carrots and pumpkin are brimming with the antioxidant beta-carotene ,the precursor to vitamin A, Our bodies convert beta-carotene into vitamin A. It helps keep our skin healthy, bolsters immune function and reduces the risk of eye diseases such as cataracts and macular degeneration.
Green foods
Who?
Broccoli, peas, avocado, spinach, lettuce, celery, cucumber, green bell peppers, Brussels sprouts, kiwi, green beans, green grapes, leafy vegetables, lemon.
Why eat green foods?
Dark green vegetables like kale, spinach, Brussels sprouts are abundant in the eye-protecting antioxidant lutein, protect from eye problems. Greens also offer generous doses of vital vitamins and minerals: spinach, broccoli and kale contain plenty of vitamin C,calcium, iron and B vitamins.
White foods
Who?
Cauliflower, onions, potatoes, garlic, ginger, mushrooms, bananas,cabbages.
Why eat white foods?
White vegetables boost our immune system, and have anti-viral and anti-cancer compounds. Mushrooms keep our immune system operating smoothly while garlic and onions contain high levels of allicin – an antioxidant that fights bacteria and infections, and reduces the risk of certain cancers. Ginger aids in digestion, bananas and potatoes pack plenty of potassium – good for heart, kidney, brain and muscle function – and you can get a wealth of fibre, vitamin C and folate from cauliflower.
