Field to Table -Colours of Health

Phytochemicals ("fight-o-chemicals") are substances that are naturally occurring only in plants. Some may provide health benefits beyond those provided by essential nutrients (vitamins and minerals). Eating a variety of colorful phytochemical-rich fruits and vegetables has been associated with lower risk of some chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease.

Researchers believe that phytochemicals, vitamins, minerals and fiber in fruits and vegetables, work synergistically to promote health. For this reason, many authoritative organizations, such as the National Cancer Institute and The American Heart Association, recommend getting phytochemicals from whole foods, such as fruits and vegetables, rather than from supplements.

Look for Colour

When shopping it's important to remember that colourful fruits and vegetables promote good health. Deeply hued fruits and vegetables provide a wide range of vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytochemicals your body needs to maintain good health and energy levels.

Blue/Purple

Blue/purple fruits and vegetables contain varying amounts of health-promoting phytochemicals such as anthocyanins and phenolics, currently being studied for their antioxidant and anti-aging benefits. Boost the level of blue/purple in your low-fat diet to help maintain:

  • A lower risk of some cancers
  • Urinary tract health
  • Memory function
  • Healthy aging

Get blue/purple every day with foods such as:

  • Blackberries
  • Blueberries
  • Black currants
  • Dried plums
  • Elderberries
  • Purple figs
  • Purple grapes
  • Plums
  • Raisins
  • Purple asparagus
  • Purple cabbage
  • Purple carrots
  • Eggplant
  • Purple Belgian endive
  • Purple peppers
  • Potatoes (purple fleshed)
  • Black salsify

Green

Green fruits and vegetables contain varying amounts of potent phytochemicals such as lutein and indoles, which interest researchers because of their potential antioxidant, health-promoting benefitsAdd green to your low-fat diet to maintain:

  • A lower risk of some cancers
  • Vision health
  • Strong bones and teeth

Go green every day with:

  • Avocados
  • Green apples
  • Green grapes
  • Honeydew
  • Kiwifruit
  • Limes
  • Green pears
  • Artichokes
  • Arugula
  • Asparagus
  • Broccoflower
  • Broccoli
  • Broccoli rabe
  • Brussels sprouts
  • Chinese cabbage
  • Green beans
  • Green cabbage
  • Celery
  • Chayote squash
  • Cucumbers
  • Endive
  • Leafy greens
  • Leeks
  • Lettuce
  • Green onion
  • Okra
  • Peas
  • Green pepper
  • Snow Peas
  • Sugar snap peas
  • Spinach
  • Watercress
  • Zucchini

White

White, tan, and brown fruits and vegetables contain varying amounts of phytochemicals of interest to scientists. These include allicin, found in the onion family.

Working white into your low-fat diet helps maintain:

  • Heart health
  • Cholesterol levels that are already healthy
  • A lower risk of some cancers*

Get all the health benefits of white by including foods such as:

  • Bananas
  • Brown pears
  • Dates
  • White nectarines
  • White peaches
  • Cauliflower
  • Garlic
  • Ginger
  • Jerusalem artickoke
  • Jicama
  • Kohlrabi
  • Mushrooms
  • Onions
  • Parsnips
  • Potatoes (white fleshed)
  • Shallots
  • Turnips
  • White Corn

Yellow/Orange

Orange and yellow fruits and vegetables contain varying amounts of antioxidants such as vitamin C as well as carotenoids and bioflavonoids, two classes of phytochemicals that scientists are studying for their health-promoting potential.

Make yellow/orange a part of your low-fat diet to help maintain:

  • Heart health
  • Vision health
  • A healthy immune system
  • A lower risk of some cancers

Every day, include orange and yellow fruits and vegetables like these:

  • Yellow apples
  • Apricots
  • Cantaloupe
  • Cape Gooseberries
  • Yellow figs
  • Grapefruit
  • Golden kiwifruit
  • Lemon
  • Mangoes
  • Nectarines
  • Oranges
  • Papayas
  • Peaches
  • Yellow pears
  • Persimmons
  • Pineapples
  • Tangerines
  • Yellow watermelon
  • Yellow beets
  • Butternut squash
  • Carrots
  • Yellow peppers
  • Yellow potatoes
  • Pumpkin
  • Rutabagas
  • Yellow summer squash
  • Sweet corn
  • Sweet potatoes
  • Yellow tomatoes
  • Yellow winter squash

Red

The specific phytochemicals in the red group being studied for their health-promoting properties include lycopene and anthocyanins.

Be sure to include RED in your low-fat diet to help maintain:

  • Heart health
  • Memory function
  • A lower risk of some cancers
  • Urinary tract health

Get your reds every day by eating fruits and vegetables such as:

  • Red apples
  • Blood oranges
  • Cherries
  • Cranberries
  • Red grapes
  • Pink/Red grapefruit
  • Red pears
  • Pomegranates
  • Raspberries
  • Strawberries
  • Watermelon
  • Beets
  • Red peppers
  • Radishes
  • Radicchio
  • Red onions
  • Red potatoes
  • Rhubarb
  • Tomatoes

 

 

 

 

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