Why you SHOULD ‘eat a rainbow’ of fruit and vegetables each day
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Why you SHOULD ‘eat a rainbow’ of fruit and vegetables each day
Forgive you for assuming that the old saying "eat the rainbow" was just another unfounded piece of advice to encourage people to consume more fruits in vegetables.
But colors are extremely important when it comes to our health, and whether it's a bright red apple or an earthy green pear, the color of natural foods is a sign of the nutrients they contain.
Red apples, peppers and tomatoes are rich in lycopene, which gives them their bright red color and helps protect against cancer and arthritis.
Blueberries, blackberries, and eggplants are crammed with purple-colored anthocyanins, tannins, and other compounds that previous research has suggested improving memory.
While yellow-colored lutein behind the colors in pineapple, lemons, and pumpkins can help protect your eyesight.
Dr. Evangeline Mantzioris, a nutritionist at the University of South Australia, says that different fruits and vegetables contain at least 5,000 nutrients.
She recommends a varied diet to "maximize the health benefits."
This graph shows fruits and vegetables, divided by colors, which indicate what antioxidants they contain. All antioxidants work by sucking up "free radicals" in cells that are created by natural processes but damage cell membranes and DNA if not removed. There is evidence that orange fruits and vegetables may boost fertility and lower blood pressure, while red ones may protect against some cancers and blue ones may boost memory.
This graph shows fruits and vegetables, divided by colors, which indicate what antioxidants they contain. All antioxidants work by sucking up "free radicals" in cells that are created by natural processes but damage cell membranes and DNA if not removed. There is evidence that orange fruits and vegetables may boost fertility and lower blood pressure, while red ones may protect against some cancers and blue ones may boost memory.
The guidelines state that everyone should eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables of different colors daily to ensure the best nutritional benefits.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says 87 percent of Americans don't eat enough fruits and vegetables in their diets every day.
How do I get more fruits and vegetables into my diet?
Dr Evangeline Mantzioris works as a nutritionist at the University of South Australia and has suggested tips for more fruits and vegetables in the diet.
She says it's important to get a "rainbow" of colors to make sure everyone is getting enough nutrients.
"Promoting a rainbow of fruits and vegetables is a simple strategy to maximize health benefits for all ages," she says.
Their tips are as follows:
Shopping basket: The nutritionist will suggest a rainbow of colors in your shopping basket;
Something new: Trying new fruits and vegetables in different colors would ensure you eat more varieties;
Shop differently: Vary your purchases and pick up fruits and vegetables you didn't have last week
Skins: She recommends eating the skins, as they also contain vital nutrients
Herbs and spices: These should be included in foods whenever possible, as they also have nutritional benefits
RED: Protects against cancer and arthritis
Large studies suggest that red apples, strawberries, cherries and tomatoes may reduce the risk of developing cancer and arthritis.
They are the best sources of carotenoids, including astaxanthin and lycopene, which give foods their famous red color.
These reduce the number of dangerous "free radicals" in the body, which are naturally produced by breathing and exercise, and can also be caused by too much sunlight, smoking, air pollution and industrial chemicals.
Free radicals damage the lining of cells, proteins and DNA, increasing the risk of a whole host of diseases, including cancer and arthritis.
But antioxidants in red fruit — like lycopene — work by sucking up these molecules shortly after they are made, reducing the risk of cell damage.
A2020 systematic review found that the substance reduced the risk of prostate cancer by suppressing these mutations. Another review — also from2020 — also found that lycopene could protect against other cancers, including breast, lung, and stomach cancers.
Red-colored foods also contain vitamin C, which can lower inflammation levels and help relieve arthritis symptoms.
Many small studies have already linked strawberry consumption to improved arthritis control.
These include a2017paper that found that eating 50 grams of strawberries per day for 12 weeks reduced inflammation and symptoms of osteoarthritis in participants.
TheArthritis Foundation — America's leading organization for this disease — says strawberries, raspberries and red cherries can all help with arthritis because of the antioxidants they contain.
"Some researchers compare the anti-inflammatory properties of cherries to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)," they wrote.
ORANGE: Lowers blood pressure and promotes fertility
Oranges, peaches, carrots and satsuma owe their warming color to antioxidants known as carotenoids.
But these compounds also have specific benefits for a person's health by helping to lower blood pressure.
Specifically known as beta-carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin, they also work by sucking up free radicals that damage cells and can lead to an increase in blood pressure.
Orange fruits and vegetables also contain vitamin C, which several studies show can lower blood pressure.
The vitamin can act as a diuretic, stimulating the kidneys to remove more salt and water from the body, helping to relax blood vessel walls and lower blood pressure.
There is also evidence that antioxidants from these fruits may help boost fertility.
A2018large study of 70,000 women found that those who ate more citrus fruits had a 22 percent lower risk of endometriosis. This is a condition in which growths form around the uterus, affecting the chances of conception.
A2020meta-analysis of 440,000 women also suggested a fertility benefit, concluding that those who ate more orange fruits and vegetables were significantly less likely to develop ovarian cancer than their peers.
There is also evidence that the antioxidants may help with sperm production.
Carotenoids can be converted by the body into vitamin A, which is known to promote eye health.
BLUE AND PURPLE: Protects memory
Blueberries, blackberries and eggplants could help protect the brain, a growing list of studies suggests.
An apple a day to keep the blues away?
Eating an apple a day could help ward off the blues, if research is to be believed.
The researchers surveyed nearly 430 adults to see how their eating habits affect their mental health.
People who reached the recommended five pieces of fruit each day were less depressed, the results showed.
For people who like to snack on chips, the opposite was true. However, for the consumption of vegetables, no such compounds were found.
The authors claimed that the positive effects of fruit could be due to how people eat it raw.
Vital antioxidants, fiber, and micronutrients that are important for brain function can be lost during cooking.
Lead author, PhD student Nicola-Jayne Tuck, from Aston University in Birmingham, said: "It's possible that changing our snacks could be a really simple and simple way to improve our mental well-being.
Their deep hue comes from anthocyanins, tannins and other antioxidants.
Two meta-analyses in2019and2022, each reviewing about 12 articles, pointed to an advantage for memory.
While many smaller studies have also suggested the link, including a2012groundbreaking Harvard University study suggesting that blueberry consumption delays brain aging by two and a half years.
Scientists say that eating blue and purple fruits and vegetables promotes blood flow to important areas of the brain and ensures a good supply of nutrients and oxygen to cells.
Anthocyanins, tannins and other antioxidants in plants have also been linked to reducing the number of "free radicals" in the body – which helps reduce inflammation.
YELLOW: Protect eyesight
Pineapples, corn, lemons, and even bananas can all help protect eyes from sun damage and vision loss.
They are excellent sources of lutein, zeaxanthin and other antioxidants that give them their color.
When we are exposed to too much sunlight, free radicals build up in the eye – which can damage cells and DNA.
But lutein and other compounds soak them up and ward off the worst effects.
There is also evidence that these yellow-coloring compounds protect the eye from macular degeneration.
This affects about one in 10 adults in the U.S. and tends to occur later in life, with sufferers gradually losing the central area of their vision.
Meta-analyses from2012show how eating more yellow-colored fruits and vegetables significantly reduced the risk of developing this condition in participants.
Another major review of more than 20 studies from2018concluded that "many studies demonstrate the beneficial effects of lutein on the eye."
GREEN: Lower risk of heart disease
Avocados, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale and other leafy greens may reduce the risk of heart disease, studies suggest — and reduce the risk of spina bifida in developing infants.
They are a top source of nitrates, which are broken down when consumed to trigger the dilation of the vessels – and a subsequent drop in blood pressure.
This relieves the heart and reduces the risk of blood vessel damage, which in turn lowers the risk of heart disease.
A2016meta-analysis found that those who regularly ate leafy greens had a 15.8 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
Nitrates are an important component of chlorophyll, which gives the leaves their green color.
Green fruits and vegetables are also a top source of vitamin K, which helps stop calcification of large blood vessels — which raises blood pressure and leads to heart disease.
They are also sources of folic acid – the natural form of vitamin B9 – which is recommended for all pregnant women.
Numerous studies have shown that this lowers the risk of spina bifida in children or when an infant is born with a spinal cord protruding from the back – rather than being enclosed by the spine.
BROWN AND WHITE: Antiviral and antibacterial properties
Brown and white fruits and vegetables get their color from "flavones" such as apigenin, luteolin, isoetin and others found in garlic, potatoes and cauliflower.
But they are also important sources of allicin, which studies say has antibacterial and antiviral properties.
So far, very few clinical trials have been conducted on humans, but theone in the labshowed that it can kill viruses and bacteria – which even led to suggestionslast yearthat it could be used against Covid.
Whether the compounds have the same effect in humans, however, is still unclear at this time.
There isalso evidencethat allicin helps lower blood pressure by triggering dilation of blood vessels, similar to what is found in other vegetables.
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Why you SHOULD ‘eat a rainbow’ of fruit and vegetables each day