The produce section at your grocery store is full of vibrant colors that will bring life to any meal. With such a wide variety of colors and flavors, you can easily add some creativity to your next dish by using delicious produce that looks beautiful on the plate. Fruits and vegetables get bright colors from phytochemicals and natural bioactive compounds, promoting good health. Due to this, the most vibrantly colored produce also tends to be the richest in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants. According to the food pyramid, we should all be consuming up to nine servings of fruits and vegetables daily. The product you choose with those servings is just as important as how frequently you eat them.
Red fruits and vegetables like strawberries and beets deliver healthy doses of vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, and antioxidants.
Yellow and orange produce such as carrots and pineapple also contain vitamin C, vitamin A, and potassium. Additionally, they provide a boost to the immune system and enhance vision.
Blue and purple fruits and vegetables, such as figs and eggplant, promote healthy aging and boost urinary tract health and memory function.
Green fruits and vegetables, like dark leafy greens and apples, boast loads of potassium and vitamin K. They also help maintain healthy vision and strong bones and teeth. The darker the leafy greens, the higher the concentration of antioxidants and fiber.
Finally, white produce such as mushrooms and bananas helps control cholesterol levels and is suitable for the heart.
Produce Do’s and Don’ts
To learn more about how different colored produce affects your health, go to Rush.edu:
● “Although fruits and vegetables are healthy, they aren't necessarily low in calories. ‘Avocado is a good type of fat,’ Ventrelle says, ‘but one-fourth of an avocado has 100 calories.’ Raisins and cherries are other examples of fruits that, while healthful, are high in calories. Eat higher-calorie fruits and veggies in moderation.
● Go light on the starchy vegetables. If you choose sweet potatoes as a side dish, use that as your starch even though it's technically a vegetable. Don't have sweet potatoes and corn, which is also a starch. Pick some other veggie that's higher in fiber.
● Veggie preparation matters. ‘Fresh is best, but if you do cook vegetables, use a lighter preparation,’ Ventrelle says. ‘Don’t use a lot of oil, or fry or sauté them. Steaming or grilling is better.’ And be aware that if you boil vegetables, you lose a lot of the health benefits. The nutrients leach out. So when you pour out the water, you're also pouring out the nutrients.
● Don't drown fruits and veggies in heavy sauces, dips or toppings, especially if you're watching your weight. Try sprinkling apple slices with cinnamon instead of smothering them with peanut butter or caramel. And dunk those carrot sticks in fat-free yogurt instead of ranch dip. If you must have sauces or dips, look for lighter recipes or limit the amount you eat to a few tablespoons.
● Eat with the seasons. Choose fresh fruits and vegetables that are ‘in season’ to ensure you're eating a good variety of colors throughout the year. For instance, add squashes, root vegetables and different types of apples to your fall menu.
● If you can't get fresh fruits and veggies, frozen is fine. Avoid eating a lot of canned vegetables, because they tend to have more sodium. And choose canned fruit that's packed in water or natural juice, not sugary syrup.
● If you like dried fruits, eat them in moderation. They tend to have a higher concentration of calories and sugar than their fresh counterparts. A serving size of dried fruit should be no more than one-fourth of a cup.
● If you're counting calories, buy smaller pieces of fruit. Large bananas can be almost 200 calories, so pick smaller ones. Apples, nectarines, peaches and other round fruits should be roughly the size of a tennis ball.”
From Eat a Colourful Diet - Rush
Photo Source: WIX
What are your favorite fruits and vegetables? Did you know the different colors affected more than the appearance of the produce?
Written by Yellow Brick Road Token
August 4th, 2021