Color Your Way to 5 A Day

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Misty L. Trepke

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Color Your Way to 5 A Day

More Color More Health

 

http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/5ADay/campaign/color/index.htm

 

Growing up you may have been told to eat your greens, but what about

your reds, oranges, yellows and blues? The Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention and the 5 A Day Partnership encourages YOU to

" Sample the Spectrum " of the colorful vegetables and fruit available

this season. By putting something of every color on your plate or in

your lunch bag, you are more likely to eat the 5 to 9 recommended

servings of vegetables and fruit every day. Just think: 1 cup of

dark, leafy GREENS, ½ cup of RED tomatoes, ½ cup of YELLOW peppers, 6

oz. ORANGE juice and ½ cup of BLUEberries. And you have 5 A Day! It's

quite simple when you Sample the Spectrum.

 

The more reds, oranges, greens, yellows, and blues you see on the

plate, the more health promoting properties you are also getting from

your vegetable and fruit choices. Nutrition research shows that

colorful vegetables and fruit contain essential vitamins, minerals,

fiber, and phytochemicals that your body needs to promote health and

help you feel great. Here are the specifics…

 

Reds

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 and guava.

Diets rich in lycopene are being studied for their ability to fight

heart disease and some cancers.

 

Greens

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 rich in

the phytochemicals that keep you healthy. For example, the

carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin that are found in spinach,

collards, kale and broccoli have antioxidant properties and are being

studied for their ability to protect your eyes by keeping your retina

strong. Also, research is being done on cruciferous vegetables like

cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale, and turnips to see if

they may reduce the risk of cancerous tumors! Greens are also loaded

with essential vitamins (folate), minerals, and fiber.

 

Oranges/Yellows

Orange, the color of a blazing sun, is a must have in your daily

diet. Orange vegetables and fruits like sweet potatoes, mangos,

carrots, and apricots, contain beta-carotene. This carotenoid is a

natural antioxidant that is being studied for its role in enhancing

the immune system. In addition to being touted as a powerful

health-protector, the orange group is rich in Vitamin C. Folate, most

often found in leafy greens, is also found in orange fruits and

vegetables, and is a B vitamin that may help prevent some birth

defects and reduce your risk of heart disease. With a chemical

make-up this good, make the orange group always a part of your 5 to 9

a day.

 

Bright yellows have many of the same perks as the orange groups: high

in essential vitamins and carotenoids. Pineapple, for example, is

rich with Vitamin C, manganese, and the natural enzyme, bromelain.

Additionally, corn and pears are high in fiber. Yellow fruits and

vegetables belong to many different families, but they all share the

common bond of being health enhancing with great taste. Go for the

gold!

 

Blues/Purples

Blues and purples not only add beautiful shades of tranquility and

richness to your plate, they add health-enhancing flavonoids,

phytochemicals, and antioxidants. Anthocyanins, a phytochemical, are

pigments responsible for the blue color in vegetables and fruits, and

are being studied for their role in the body's defense of harmful

carcinogens. Blueberries, in particular, are rich in Vitamin C and

folic acid and high in fiber and potassium.

 

Whites

Vegetables from the onion family, which include garlic, chives,

scallions, leeks, and any variety of onion, contain the phytochemical

allicin. Research is being conducted on

 

Allicin to learn how it may help lower cholesterol and blood pressure

and increase the body's ability to fight infections.

Indoles and sulfaforaphanes, phytochemicals in cruciferous vegetables

like cauliflower, for how they may inhibit cancer growth.

Polyphenols, another important phytochemical in pears and green

grapes for how they may reduce the risk of certain cancers.

Savor the Spectrum All Year Long

There is color in every season. When it comes to your health, you'll

fare best with a multi-colored diet. By putting something of every

color on your plate or in your lunch bag, you are more likely to eat

the recommended 5 to 9 servings of vegetables and fruits every day.

Think color: 1 cup of dark, leafy salad GREENS with WHITE onions

sprinkled on top, ½ cup of RED tomatoes, ½ cup of YELLOW pineapple

chunks, 6 oz. ORANGE juice and ½ cup of BLUEberries. Delicious and

healthy!

 

Get your " 5 to 9 A Day " the Colorful Healthy Way!

 

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