A healthy plate can be a painter's palatte
Eating a wide variety of foods from all the food groups is one of the most important ways to get enough of the nutrients your body needs. A good way to tell if you are getting enough variety is to look at the colors in your diet.
Toby Smithson, a registered dietitian with the Lake County Health Department/Community Health Center and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, says that if a meal plate consists of mostly brown and white, it may be missing some essential vitamins and minerals, as well as fiber and phytonutrients.
Phytonutrients are compounds found in plants that are not essential for life, but which may be beneficial for our health. For example, carotenoids are powerful antioxidants found in dark green and orange vegetables that protect cells from damaging molecules.
Nutrients and phytonutrients in food act together in complex ways to promote health, and for that reason eating real food, rather than supplements, offers the most benefit. The color of a food, says Smithson, can tell us something about the nutrients it contains. Including a variety of deeply colored fruits and vegetables daily is a good strategy for reaping the disease-preventing benefits these nutrients provide.
March is National Nutrition Month, a great time to focus on nutrition and health. This year's theme is “Eat right with color.” You can use the table below as a guide for choosing a variety of colorful foods. Then look at your grocery cart and your meal plate. Are you including foods from all of the following color groups several times per week?
BLUE/PURPLE
• Lowers risk of some cancers
• Enhances memory
• Promotes healthy aging
• Maintains urinary tract health
Foods: Blueberries, blackberries, purple grapes, raisins, plums, purple carrots, eggplant, purple potatoes, black olives
RED
• Lowers risk of some cancers
• Improves memory
• Maintains heart health
• Maintains urinary tract health
Foods: Red bell peppers, chili peppers, red apples, beets, cherries, watermelon, red onion, strawberries, red potatoes, raspberries, cranberries, pomegranate, radishes, tomatoes, rhubarb, red grapefruit, red cabbage
ORANGE/YELLOW
• Lowers risk of some cancers
• Maintains heart health
• Maintains healthy immune system
• Maintains healthy vision
Foods: orange/yellow bell peppers, carrots, butternut squash, summer squash, pumpkin, oranges, peaches, lemons, nectarines, mangoes, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, yellow pears, apricot, papaya
GREEN
• Lowers risk of some cancers
• Maintains healthy vision
• Improves bone/teeth strength
Foods: spinach, leafy greens (kale, collard, mustard), broccoli, Brussels sprouts, lettuce, peas, green beans, green bell peppers, kiwi, green apples, jalapeño peppers, honeydew, limes, arugula, green cabbage, artichokes, avocado, celery, cucumber, green grapes, zucchini, endive, asparagus, green onions, okra
WHITE
• Lowers risk of some cancers
• Improves heart health
• Keeps cholesterol levels healthy
Foods: onions, garlic, mushrooms, bananas, jicama, kohlrabi, potatoes (without skin), turnips, cauliflower
To find healthy recipes by color, try the Fruit and Vegetable Recipe Search on the Produce for Better Health Foundation web site: www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/?page_id=10.