Eating colorful fruits and vegetables are always advisable and it is a basic tip that everyone give. But have you ever given a thought that why should we eat variety of vegetables and fruits?
Fruits and vegetables varied in five different colors ranging from red, blue, orange, green, white / brown. Each color has its own unique component which has disease fighting properties commonly known as photo chemical.
Fruits and veggies which are RED in color have the pigment called lycopene. It is a powerful antioxidant that can help to reduce the risk of cancer and make your heart healthy.
The plant pigment anthocyanin gives a distinctive BLUE and PURPLE color to the eatables. This has the ability to protect the cells against damage and can reduce the risk of stroke.
There is a well known carotenoid which is commonly called as Betacarotene is basically present in sweet potatoes, pumpkins and carrots. It is converted to vitamin A, which helps in maintaining healthy mucous membranes and good eyesight . Another carotenoid known to be lutein is stored in the eye and has been found to prevent cataract and age-related macular degeneration, which can lead to night blindness. Because of the presence of carotenoids, YELLOW and ORANGE color is obtained in fruits and veg.
GREEN vegetables contain a wide range of photo chemical known as indole and saponins all of which has anti cancerous properties.
WHITE fruits and vegetables contain a range of health promoting phytochemical such as allicin. It has wonderful antibacterial and anti-fungal properties.
Now you know why these have so much of color variation and each of one has its own unique properties. To maintain a healthy body we need a variety of colours in terms of veggies and fruits. (Beware of additive color agents).
Now we can move to next step what they do in the body when they are taken in the diet.
All fruits and vegetables contain antioxidants. Every time we breathe, eat, and exercise, oxygen communicates with our cells and produces free radicals (which are unstable particles) that can harm our DNA and cause disease. Stress and external toxins produce free radicals at higher rates. Our bodies can control the small amount of free radicals created during normal cell functions; however, external toxins like tobacco smoke, UV rays, pesticides, and pharmaceutical drugs can affect our free radical defence system. Over time uncontrolled free radical damage and leads to a host of diseases like cancer, diabetes, depression, heart disease. Antioxidants are the little superheroes (chemical protectors) make powerless to the bad guys (free radicals) to save our health (protect our cells and DNA). They save our youth by defending against free radical oxidation. In fact, our intake of antioxidant and free radical exposure strongly predicts our lifespan.
Eat the Rainbow: Antioxidant Nutrients by Color
Color Foods
Red- Red peppers and apples, tomatoes, beets, radishes, cherries, raspberries, strawberries, grapefruit, watermelon
Orange- Carrots, orange/yellow peppers, squashes, apricots, nectarines, peaches, citrus fruits, pineapple, bananas
Green- Dark leafy greens, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, cucumbers, avocados, kiwi, green peas/cabbage/ peppers/grapes/apples/pears
Indigo- Blackberries, blueberries, plums, purple cabbage, eggplant, red onions, purple potatoes, red/black grapes
White- Cauliflower, mushrooms, onions, turnips, parsnip, garlic
Now eat colorful, live colorful!!
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Just like our life needs colours, we need colours in our food too 😃
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