"Taste the Rainbow"

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Who says the healthiest thing you can put on your plate is a helping of boiled, bland and honestly inedible gook (ummm, did someone say brussel sprouts)? According to nutritionists today, your plate should actually be loaded with a whole rainbow of colors – from red to purple and yellow to blue! By including fruits and vegetables from all color groups (listed below) in your daily diet, you will ensure that you are getting enough of the different nutrients and phytochemicals you need to live a healthy and energetic life. And what exactly, might you ask, are these phytochemicals? They are the substances which give fruits and veggies their bright, beautiful, and varied shades of color and also happen to be essential in keeping our bodies strong and free from disease…how’s that for a mouthful to chew on?


Here’s a little color coded help to give you the juice on why certain shades might just do more than look good on you!!


Green: Broccoli, spinach, lettuce, cauliflower, cabbage, green beans, peas and other leafy vegetables all contain infection-fighting nutrients and compounds that prevent diseases including cancer. Green foods also contain the detox mineral sulpher, water and fiber making them great cleansers ridding the body of the toxins that build up due to stress, the intake of alcohol and tobacco, and a generally unhealthy lifestyle. They also are a rich source of vitamins C and K.


Red : Tomatoes, strawberries, red peppers, and raspberries are all loaded with antioxidents, which are the guys that help trap and absorb free radicals which can cause heart disease, cancer, and other illnesses.


White: Milk, white meat (chicken, turkey), shellfish, seafood, dairy products. White foods contain protein packed power that help the body to build muscle to stay strong, active, and ready to go. Dairy products also contain calcium which is an essential mineral for healthy teeth and bones and also may help weight loss.


Purple-Blue: Eggplant (Brinjal) and blueberries. These fruits and vegetables are known to have both antioxidents and phytochemicals which help protect against ulcers, cancer, and bacteria.


Orange-Yellow: Carrots, mangoes, oranges, yellow peppers, melons, peaches, bananas, these sunshine coloured foods are all packed with the super antioxidant beta-carotene and vitamin A, which strengthens the immune system and is also very good for the health of your bones and eyes. Potassium, found in high amounts in bananas, is proven to prevent as well as decrease high blood pressure (think all those stressful deadlines at the office!). Not to mention all the power of vitamin C (ie prevention against infections like flus, colds, sore throats) you can find in your everyday orange!


So ahead and enjoy your next meal in technicolour