|
| Family Wellness Challenge: Add a Rainbow of Color to Your Plate! |
 emilyb writes, "Eating a variety of colorful vegetables is one of the best ways to ensure that you and your family are getting the fullest range of nutrients in your diet. A fun way to help you choose the right foods is to try and select fruits and vegetables of the colors of the rainbow, and don't forget black and white as well!"
|
These foods are packed with phytonutrients which are immune-boosting substances found only in fruits and vegetables. These phytonutrients prevent wear and tear on your cells and help your body repair itself. They do nothing but good things for you and most people don't eat enough.
Red produce includes beets, cherries, chili peppers, cranberries, pink grapefruit, radishes, raspberries, red apples, rhubarb, red bell peppers, strawberries, tomatoes and watermelon. They are colored by plant pigments called lycopene. Diets rich in lycopene are being studied for their ability to fight heart disease and some cancers.
Orange fruits and vegetables include apricots, butternut squash, carrots, kumquats, mango, nectarines, oranges, papayas, peaches, persimmons, pumpkin and sweet potatoes. Orange foods are rich in beta-carotene, a natural antioxidant being studied for its role in enhancing the immune system.
Yellow fruits and vegetables to look for include corn, Crenshaw melons, lemons, passion fruit, pears, pineapple, plantains, white grapefruit, yellow apples, yellow onions and yellow squash. They are high in essential vitamins and carotenoids.
Green produce you want to include on your plate: artichokes, arugula, asparagus, avocados, basil, bell peppers, bok choy, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, celery, Chard, collard greens, cucumbers, edamame, green beans, green apples, green grapes, honeydew, jalapeno, kale, kiwi, leeks, lettuce, limes and spinach. Green vegetables are rich in the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin and have antioxidant properties that are being studied for their ability to protect your eyes by keeping your retina strong.
Blue and purple fruits and vegetables are among the richest in health-enhancing flavonoids, phytochemicals, and antioxidants. They include acai, blueberries, boysenberries, eggplant, figs, purple grapes, plums, radicchio, shallots and turnips. Blueberries, in particular, are rich in Vitamin C, folic acid and potassium, and high in fiber.
White produce includes: Asian pear, banana, cauliflower, coconut, garlic, ginger, jicama, mushrooms, onions, parsnips and potatoes. The onion family contains the phytonutrient allicin which may help lower cholesterol and blood pressure and increase the body’s ability to fight infections.
Let's not forget black! Dates, mushrooms, black currents, black grapes, black olives and black plums are rich sources of antioxidants.
Simple Ways to Incorporate Color:
- Let your kids pick a fruit or vegetable of each color next time you are at the grocery store or Saturday Market.
- Mix up a fruit and vegetable smoothie with pineapple, strawberries, blueberries, spinach and coconut milk.
- Make a fruit salad with all the colors of the rainbow, include kiwi, raspberries, oranges, apples and green grapes.
- Saute a colorful mix of vegetables such as yellow corn, zucchini, tomatoes, white onions, and purple cabbage.
- Make confetti coleslaw: shredded green and red cabbage, grated carrots, julienned kohlrabi and finely chopped red and yellow peppers.
Your kids will be more excited about eating fruits and vegetables if they know why these colorful foods are so good for them. You can simply say they help your brain think clearer, your eyes see better, your heart to pump better and they also help you grow. Challenge them and yourself to eat a rainbow every day!
For a free download to track your colors, go to:
http://www.todayiatearainbow.com/resources/free-downloads/
Emily Barker, CHHC
Eat to Thrive Health Counseling
|
Posted on May 14, 2012 09:36am.
(Return)
|
Please login to post a comment.
|
|
