Why is the more color in a meal the better?
Eating a variety of foods of different colors at every meal is important for maximum nutritional benefit.
It's a simple rule to apply to your diet: The more colorful the food on your table, the more visually stimulating it is to your appetite, and the more nutrients it contains. Here are some of the benefits of including a variety of colors in your daily diet, according toTruelemon.com.
Red
Red fruits and vegetables often contain phytonutrients such as lycopene and anthocyanins, which may help protect against certain cancers, reduce the risk of diabetes, support eye health, and improve the appearance of skin. To increase your intake of red foods, eat things like: Tomatoes, beets, watermelon, red peppers, strawberries, raspberries...
Bright orange and yellow
Bright orange and yellow foods get their colors from alpha and beta carotene, which in the body is converted to vitamin A. This essential vitamin helps support immune function, eye health, healthy joints and bones, and reduces the risk of cancer and heart disease. Eat more: Carrots, lemons, citrus fruits, mangoes, sweet potatoes, apricots, pumpkins...
Green
Green vegetables are full of chlorophyll, an antioxidant with a variety of health benefits. The main effect is to cleanse toxins from the body, which means reducing the risk of cancer, supporting digestive enzymes and nutrient absorption, strengthening the immune system, increasing energy and repairing tissues faster. Include plenty of these foods: green leafy vegetables, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, collard greens, artichokes, kiwi fruit, grapes...
Dark blue and purple
These deeply colored fruits and vegetables provide you with anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins, a perfect super antioxidant. And they are great for promoting heart and brain function (especially memory), cell strength, and for reducing inflammation throughout the body. Eat more foods like: strawberries, blueberries, eggplant, plums, purple cabbage, radishes, grapes...
White
These often-snappy white fruits and vegetables support bone health, help lower cholesterol and inflammation, protect against certain cancers, and balance hormones. Incorporate more white foods into your diet by eating more: bananas, white plums, cauliflower, mushrooms, white radishes, onions, scallions, garlic...
So eating a variety of colorful foods helps you have a healthier body, choosing seasonal foods to prepare maximizes their nutritional value and flavor.
