Colorful nutrients | Photo credit: iStock Images
Key highlights
- Wouldn’t it be boring if we had to eat the same food every day with no change in taste, color or aroma?
- But nature has made sure that with all this we get variety, texture, availability and nutrient richness.
- The idea is to provide us with all the vitamins and minerals we need. Here’s an introduction to how rainbow colored food is good for us.
Since childhood we humans have loved colors in everything we own, see or eat. Colorful toys, colorful books, colorful lollipops and colorful clothes. But check out nature’s tricks that color fruits, vegetables, and grains … just so we can eat with joy.
Did you know that adding color to your meals will help you live longer, healthier lives? Colorful fruits and vegetables can paint a beautiful picture of health because they contain phytonutrients, compounds that give plants their rich colors, as well as their distinctive tastes and aromas, writes Dr. Katherine D. McManus in an online article from Harvard Medical School. Phytonutrients are small chemical compounds produced by plants that help us digest larger nutrients and play a role in removing toxins from our bodies. Phytonutrients also boost a plant’s immune system. They protect the plant from threats in its natural environment such as disease and excessive sun exposure, writes Dr. Katherine D. McManus.
The rainbow of nutrition:
Considered one of the most complete nutritious diets, the Mediterranean diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats like extra virgin olive oil, and is often categorized as the healthiest diet by scientists.
Eating many colors can reduce your risk of missing out on all of your vital nutrients. If we lack the color of the rainbow, we may be lacking a function of that food.
Benefits for the heart and brain:
Phytonutrient-rich people have fewer heart disease and cancer – the two leading causes of death worldwide. The carotenoids and flavonoids in colorful fruits and vegetables have anti-inflammatory properties. And different colored plants have different benefits, reports the Harvard Medical School.
What is the nutritional value of each color?
- Red: Rich in the carotenoid lycopene, it neutralizes the genotoxic free radicals that appear to protect against prostate cancer and heart and lung diseases. Sources: Strawberries, cranberries, raspberries, tomatoes, cherries, apples, beets, watermelon, red grapes, red peppers, red onions
- Orange and yellow: Provision of beta-cryptothanxin, which supports intracellular communication. Flavones, which give foods a yellow color, can reduce the risk of heart disease. Sources: Carrots, sweet potatoes, yellow peppers, oranges, bananas, pineapples, tangerines, mango, squash, apricots, winter squash (butternut, acorn), peaches, melon, corn
- Green: These foods are rich in anti-cancer chemicals like sulforaphane, isocyanate, and indoles, which inhibit the effects of carcinogens (cancer-causing compounds). Sources: Spinach, avocados, asparagus, artichokes, broccoli, alfalfa sprouts, kale, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kiwi, kale, green tea, green herbs (mint, rosemary, sage, thyme and basil)
- Blue and purple: Have powerful antioxidants called anthocyanins that are believed to delay cell aging and help the heart by blocking blood clots from forming. Sources: Blueberries, blackberries, elderberries, Concord grapes, raisins, eggplants, plums, figs, plums, lavender, cauliflower, beets, potatoes, red cabbage, asparagus and carrots.
- White and brown: The onion family contains allicin, which has anti-tumor properties. Other foods in this group contain antioxidant flavonoids like quercetin and kaempferol. Sources: OOnions, cauliflower, garlic, leeks, parsnips, daikon radish, mushrooms
Harvard Research on Colorful Fruits and Vegetables:
After following the diets of 50,000 people for more than 20 years, Tian-shin Yeh, an epidemiology research fellow at Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, found that those who eat more foods rich in flavonoids, including oranges, Bell peppers, celery, and grapefruit, have lower levels of cognitive decline and dementia.
Which color gives which part of the body which nutrient:
Harvard experts say that certain plant pigments migrate to and settle in certain parts of the body. For example, lutein is found in a variety of yellow and green foods and migrates to the macula at the back of the eye, where it can help reduce the risk of macular degeneration. Some studies show that flavonoids can improve brain health by blocking neurotoxicity in the brain that has been linked to Alzheimer’s disease. While there is still no cure for Alzheimer’s, this is also a welcome thing if the flavonoids can help lower the risk.
Disclaimer: The tips and suggestions mentioned in this article are for general informational purposes only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always contact your doctor or professional healthcare provider with specific questions about medical matters.