Can the colors on your plate tell you what health benefits you are getting?
As researchers are learning more and more about the foods we eat there is one hot topic that keeps coming up?.phytochemicals. You may have heard the latest craze for lycopene found in tomato products boasting its heart health benefits. Phytochemicals are biologically active chemicals (not classified as vitamins or minerals) found in foods that our bodies may use as part of their disease-fighting arsenal. A single tomato or orange contains, hundreds, and possibly thousands, of phytochemicals. This is very exciting news for researchers since many of these phytochemicals act as antioxidants and also provide other benefits for cancer prevention. They have also found that the color of the edible part of our fruits and vegetables can tell us what class of phytochemicals it contains and therefore, what health benefits we can obtain. Finally! Now when your mother says eat your vegetables, their good for you? we can see how they are good for us!
Blue/Purple (blueberries, grapes, eggplant, plums)
Health Benefits:
a lower risk of some cancers,
aids in memory function, and
healthy aging
Green (spinach, broccoli, salad greens, green peppers, honeydew, kiwi)
Health Benefits:
a lower risk of some cancers,
vision health, and
strong bones and teeth
White (onions, bananas, garlic)
Health Benefits:
healthy heart, and
a lower risk of some cancers
Yellow/Orange (oranges, yellow and orange bell peppers, yellow watermelon, carrots)
Health Benefits:
healthy heart,
vision health,
improved immune system, and
a lower risk of some cancers
Red (strawberries, red bell peppers, pink watermelon)
Health Benefits:
healthy Heart,
improved memory function, and
a lower risk of some cancers
Now you can enjoy a colorful plate of food and improve your health at the same time!
? Meri Raffetto, 2004
About the Author
Owner of Real Living Nutrition Services, Meri Raffetto is a Registered Dietitian and a recognized professional in the area of nutrition and wellness. She offers individual nutrition counseling and has developed one of the only non-diet online weight management programs available on the internet. For more information or to sign up for Real Living's free nutrition newsletter, visit http://www.reallivingnutrition.com.
weekly home cleaning Glenview ...Eating orange mean absorbing vitamin C to our body, is... Read More
The cry of "I have no willpower!" often emerges from... Read More
I start from the premise that eating instinctively means eating... Read More
In today's world, there's a definite need to be proactive... Read More
Water is a vitally important component of any valuable and... Read More
About 12.6 million Americans currently have heart disease.1.1 million Americans... Read More
Here is a continuation of the light and darkness metaphor:... Read More
Do you need omega 3 fatty acid in your diet?... Read More
I'm going to be a bit radical here, but know... Read More
You may have heard that essential fats are an important... Read More
The natural antioxidants in Oat Bran can significantly reduce blood... Read More
I don't understand people sometimes. You know, there is a... Read More
Studies on whey demonstrate it's an even better protein supplement... Read More
Eating healthy and taking care of yourself is essential to... Read More
Mango is my favorite fruit next to pineapples. They're sweet,... Read More
A flood of scientific evidence about fish oil points to... Read More
PROTEIN DEFICIENT? CHANCES ARE YOU ARE!Did you know that 9... Read More
What is your brain made ofOver 50% of your brain... Read More
"It's not what you eat, it's what's eating you that... Read More
The word cholesterol has become synonymous with poor health. Indeed,... Read More
The latest tallies show that over three million people in... Read More
Almost every woman suffers with premenstrual syndrome at one time... Read More
Finally, a positive solution regarding America's difficult and costly campaign... Read More
Detoxifying the body has become an apparent key preventative measure... Read More
You can trust me that I make sure to take... Read More
affordable house cleaning Glenview ...The secret of success is knowing how to deal with... Read More
OK, no more excuses. Here's how to stop making everyone... Read More
This free list of fat burning foods will help you... Read More
The word herb is used to refer to any part... Read More
What is Cholesterol?Before we go into how to reduce your... Read More
What is your brain made ofOver 50% of your brain... Read More
I want to tell you about the most healthful and... Read More
Did you know that much of our dry skin comes... Read More
Most of us eat at restaurants for a variety of... Read More
The American Heart Association recommends that you eat a variety... Read More
Recently, trans fats have risen to the forefront of the... Read More
Milk is highly underrated. Experts say, America finds itself in... Read More
One of the most common questions I am asked is... Read More
Fire ElementAccording to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) there are five... Read More
After reading this, you'll never look at a banana in... Read More
Do you need omega 3 fatty acid in your diet?... Read More
As a low carb dieter, your diet is undoubtedly high... Read More
Dieters who dejectedly complain they are figuratively "stuck" with their... Read More
The above foods contain high antioxidant capacity. These foods were... Read More
Scandinavian fishermen are a healthy bunch. It had long been... Read More
Ionized minerals, colloidal minerals, chelated minerals . . . What... Read More
I am going to share with you possibly the most... Read More
I'm 40-something years old, and for 40-something years breakfast has... Read More
Many low carb dieters fall victim to "carb creep," which... Read More
When it comes to planning a healthy diet, fat is... Read More
Nutrition |