I am glad that I read the below article regarding ways to boost your health through colorful fruits and vegetables, and especially since I am pregnant and trying to make sure that I eat healthy for myself and the baby. It is articles of the such that I like posting about, because I am all about sharing information that both myself and readers will positively benefit from!
My whole dilemma with preparing meals is knowing what to make that is completely healthy--my goal is to have a healthy, happy family. The hardest part about it is when I find recipes I want to make I usually never have all the ingredients for it, which requires me to go to the store. I always plan meals the day of, and really should make it a point to plan each week's meals the week before to save myself the hassle of being ill-prepared.
I always say that if we had our own personal chef it would make my life a whole lot easier! But who would not love to have their own personal chef? All I would have to do is let he or she know what types of meals I would like prepared, and voila! But that is just a dream :) So, my job is to research the most real food recipes out there, and do the best that I can to create them.
Please share with me how you plan your weekly menus.
"Filling your plate with colorful fruits and veggies doesn't just make your plate look pretty - it also provides antioxidants and other health-enhancing vitamins and minerals. "We get different nutrients from different foods, so eating a variety of produce in different colors is one of the easiest ways to ensure we're getting a full range of nutrients," explains Vandana Sheth, RD, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. In fact, one quick way to determine whether you're eating a balanced meal is to check your plate for at least three different hues. Here, 10 bright ideas for loading up on foods that fight cancer, boost vision, and improve your health in other ways.
Red: Beets
A crimson tint indicates that a fruit or vegetable may promote a healthy heart, boost vision and immunity, and cut down on cancer risks. Beets are a prime example of the healing power of the color red. Their hue comes from betacyanins, a substance linked to fighting cancer in laboratory mice. The vegetable also contains nitrate, which may lower your blood pressure and can halt dementia in older adults by improving blood flow to the brain.
Red: Cherries
The antioxidant-packed ruby spheres are more than just an ice cream topping. Bing cherries may lower your risk for arthritis, heart disease and cancer by fighting inflammation, according to a USDA study. If you'd rather drink your nutrients, guzzle a tart cherry juice. What's more, a 2010 study found that the beverage may help you sleep better with its high melatonin content. It may also reduce muscle damage in athletes, reports research from London.
Red: Tomato
A tomato's rosy complexion comes from lycopene, a phytochemical that helps protect against prostate cancer. While most fruits and vegetables lose some of their antioxidant mojo once they're cooked, cooking tomatoes actually enhances their lycopene content, according to Sheth. This means that even when tomatoes are out of season you can reap their health benefits through tomato sauce or tomato paste.
Orange: Sweet Potatoes
Orange fruits and veggies get their color from beta-carotene, a potent antioxidant that's converted to vitamin A in our bodies. The substance may protect the skin from UV rays and help prevent vision loss. Sweet potatoes are no exception. In addition to delivering nearly four times your recommended vitamin A allowance, a serving supply you with blood-pressure-friendly potassium, immunity-boosting vitamin C and slimming fiber. Orange you glad you know?
Yellow: Pineapple
The tropical fruit delivers 131 percent of your daily vitamin C intake and also supplies you with bromelain, an enzyme that helps with indigestion, reduces inflammation and may prevent heart disease, Sheth says. Mounting research also indicates that bromelain has cancer-fighting properties.
Green: Broccoli
Emerald veggies like broccoli and bok choy support a healthy immune system. These cruciferous veggies contain a protein that helps intra-epithelial lymphocytes (IELs) - immune cells that line and protect the gut and skin - function properly, according to 2011 research published in Cell. Broccoli's also a great way to get your green on because it contains relatively high levels of protein (3 grams per cup), vitamin C (135 percent of your daily value), and vitamin K (116 percent of your daily value).
Green: Spinach
When it comes to greens, the deeper and more intense the color, the more nutrition you'll get, Sheth says. Choose kale, spinach or collard greens rather than iceberg lettuce. Popeye's favorite will hit you with significant helpings of calcium, potassium and vitamins A and K. Not to mention, the nitrate in spinach can help muscles perform more efficiently, according to a 2011 study published in the journal Cell Metabolism.
Blue: Blueberries
Natural foods with a blue or purple glow contain anthocyanins, a phytonutrient known to be a superfood, according to Sheth. "These foods decrease our risk for macular degeneration and prevent certain cancers and strokes," she says. A higher intake of anthocyanins has also been linked to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, according to a 2012 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Blueberries are a superstar in their own right, serving up more antioxidants than most fruits and vegetables, as well as healthy doses of vitamins K and C, fiber and manganese.
Purple: Grapes
Grapes possess an antioxidant trump card, of sorts: resveratrol. Many studies indicate that the substance may chip away at a number of different types of cancers and prevent against heart disease. To boot, the nutritious orbs may also prevent age-related blindness, according to research from California Table Grape Commission. They'll also give you substantial amounts of vitamins K and C.
White: Banana
You may not think pale foods fit this technicolour food scheme, but white fruits and veggies can be beneficial to your health. "More and more people say to stay away from white foods, but naturally occurring white foods give us good nutrients," says Sheth. In fact fruits with white flesh - such as bananas, apples, pears and cauliflower - may keep strokes away, according to a Dutch study published in the journal Stroke. Bananas' concentration of B6 and potassium - which can boost your mood and help your heart, respectively - make them a solid achromatic choice."
