Different Colored Foods and Their Health Benefits
Providing a variety of fruits and vegetables is essential to a healthy diet. Some may not know, but depending on the color of a fruit or vegetable you will receive diverse range of nutrients. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can help prevent strokes, heart disease, certain types of cancers, and vision loss. In general, here are some short summaries on different colored foods and their health benefits.
- Orange/Yellow – Orange or Yellow foods such as cantaloupe, squash, or pineapples contain antioxidants such as Vitamin A and C in which can enhance your immune system. Several nutrients such as potassium, flavonoids, and beta-carotene that are found in orange/yellow foods help reduce the risk of prostate cancer, lower LDL cholesterol and blood pressure, promote healthy joints, and create healthy joints.
- Blue/Purple – These foods often contain phytonutrients known as anthocyanins. Anthocyanin is known to reduce the risk of disease and help with an individual’s memory. Eggplants, plums, blackberries, and blueberries contain the nutrients lutein and quercetin in which support healthy digestion, improve mineral absorption, fight inflammation, and limit the activity of cancer cells.
- Green – Very high in essential nutrients such as folate and carotenoids, green fruits and vegetables will increase your longevity by supporting retinal health and vision, fighting harmful free-radicals, and boosting immune system activity.
- Red – Tomatoes, apples, peppers, and strawberries are well-known for reducing the risk of prostate cancer, reducing tumor growth, and lowering LDL cholesterol levels. Lycopene is one of the main nutrients found in red fruits and vegetables and is responsible for majority of these fruits and vegetables benefits.
- White – Of course white foods may appeal somewhat bland to the average eye, but rather they contain a lot of benefits for the body. Alicin is a common nutrient found in white foods that purpose is to promote heart health and reduce risk of disease. Mixing up foods with help you maintain a balanced diet by maximizing your intake of a wide range of nutrients.
Sources: Disabled World – Fruits and Vegetables: Health and Nutrition Information
