If you have kids, you are probably all too familiar with the song, “all the colors of the rainbow -— red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.” This is a great song to not only teach children their colors, but also to teach us all how to eat. We should aspire to eat something in each color group daily. Here’s why.
- Red. You already know that an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but apparently so do strawberries, cherries, raspberries, watermelon, tomatoes, and beets. Red fruits and veggies are loaded with powerful, healthy antioxidants (lycopene and anthocyanins, to name a few). These antioxidants help keep our hearts healthy and our brain functioning.
- Orange. How do carrots, apricots, cantaloupe, oranges, and squash get their color? It’s from the alpha and beta carotene, compounds the body converts into vitamin A. Vitamin A helps keep our eyes, bones, and immune system healthy.
- Yellow. Lemons, bananas, corn, summer squash, and peppers are full of carotenoids, bioflavonoids, and vitamin C. Studies suggest that these bountiful nutrients will help your heart, vision, digestion, and immune system. Other yellow food benefits include maintenance of healthy skin, wound healing, and stronger bones and teeth.
- Green. Kale, spinach, green beans, and broccoli are a good source of lutein and zeaxanthin, phytochemicals that help prevent age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in the elderly.
- Blue/Violet. Blue, purple, and even deep-red foods are full of anthocyanins and proanthocyanins, antioxidants associated with keeping the heart healthy and the brain functioning. Consider blackberries, blueberries, eggplant, plums, grapes, and purple cabbage.
This information is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be an exhaustive examination of the subject matter nor a substitute for medical advice. Always consult your primary care physician or healthcare provider before beginning any diet or exercise program.
Active Medi-Weightloss® patients should consult the experts at their location on whether the foods mentioned are appropriate for their stage of the program.