Fruits and veggies offer many benefits to you and your family (so much so that they now take up half of the USDA's MyPlate [1], so it is important to know how each "group" contributes to your long term health. And the easiest way to do that? By remembering the colors of the rainbow! While you won't find a pot of gold at the end, you will find delicious, fresh and healthy food choices your whole family will love.
Red foods contain lycopene that helps rid the body of damaging free radicals, protect against prostate cancer, as well as heart and lung disease. The red foods are loaded with antioxidants thought to protect against heart disease by preventing blood clots and may also delay the aging of cells in the body.
Red foods include
Orange and yellow foods contain alpha carotene, which protects against cancer, but also contain beta-carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A to protect the skin against free-radical damage. Beta-carotene is also good for night vision.
Orange and yellow foods include:
Green foods contain chemicals that help ward off cancer by inhibiting carcinogens. Chlorophyll is the component that makes plants green, and is purifying in the body. Many green foods also contain calcium and minerals.
Green foods include
Blue, indigo and violet foods contain the compound anthocyanins that not only give food their color but also have been shown to reduce the risk of high blood pressure and increase heart health.
Foods in this part of the rainbow include:
Though while is not part a color of the rainbow, white foods contain properties that have anti-tumor qualities, such as allicin in onions as well as other health-improving antioxidants such as the flavanoids. The white foods, bananas and potatoes, contain potassium as well.
So how do you do incorporate these fruits and vegetables into your daily eating habits?
Here are some sample menus for you to get you started:
Breakfast:
Lunch:
Dinner:
Snacks:
Remember that you need 5-9 cups of vegetables and fruits a day for good health (or half the plate, using the USDA's new MyPlate guide [1]). Make sure at least half of your veggies are raw. Don't forget that juicing can incorporate many colored fruits and veggies easily and may be a good choice for those who may not be able to chew raw fruits and veggies.
April 2, 2014 update: a 2014 stud [2]y by researchers in the United Kingdom has found that eating seven servings per day of fruits and vegetables (especially vegetables, and, for fruit, fresh, not frozen or canned) is strongly linked to decreased overall mortality, and decreased mortality from cancer and heart disease.
Patty James [3] is a Certified Natural Chef with a Master's degree in Holistic Nutrition, founder and director of the Patty James Cooking School and Nutrition Center, the first certified organic cooking school and nutrition center in the country, and of Direction Five, a non-profit culinary and nutrition program for kids. She created the Patty James Health Guide, a guide to life-long healthy eating and lifestyle. Patty is a frequent guest speaker in public and private schools around the US, the Clinton Foundation in New York, as well as to health practitioners and organizations. Patty runs Shine the Light On America's Kids, an organization whose mission is to shine the light on all aspects of kids health in America. She is the co-author of More Vegetables, Please!
Source for update:
Oyebode O, et al. Fruit and vegetable consumption and all-cause cancer and CVD mortality: analysis of Health Survey for England data. J Epidemiol Community Health 2014; DOI: 10.1136/jech-2013-203500 (first published online on March 31, 2014)(accessed April 2, 2014)
Links:
[1] https://www.momsteam.com/node/3478
[2] http://jech.bmj.com/content/early/2014/03/03/jech-2013-203500.full.pdf html
[3] http://www.pattyjames.com/
[4] https://www.momsteam.com/nutrition/adding-fresh-vegetables-family-diet-is-easy
[5] https://www.momsteam.com/nutrition/sports-nutrition-basics/nutritional-needs-guidelines/more-fruits-vegetables-for-better-hea
[6] https://www.momsteam.com/myplate/USDA-myplate-replaces-mypyramid-promote-healthier-eating