Wellness

Eat a Colorful Variety Every Day

Summer is the perfect time to take advantage of the wide variety of fruits and vegetables that are at your fingertips. Not only are fruits and vegetables low in calories, fat, and sodium, they are loaded with vitamins, minerals and fiber. They also contain variety of protective compounds, such as antioxidants, flavonoids, and phytochemicals.

Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables provides several health benefits and can help protect against several age-related diseases such as heart disease, stroke, hypertension, certain cancers (mouth, stomach, colon-rectum), birth defects, cataracts, diabetes, obesity, and Alzheimer's. Need proof? David Murdock, the Chairman/Owner of Dole Food Company incorporates up to 30 or 40 different fruits and vegetables each week, and at age 86, is in great health! You don't have to have 30 or 40 different fruits and veggies, but you should aim to eat a variety of colors, since no one fruit or vegetable can supply all of the nutrients your body needs to stay healthy. A good way to do this is to try to eat fruits and vegetables from all of the colors of the rainbow. One more thing to remember - all fruits and vegetables are not created equal - the darker the color the better! Darker fruits and vegetables contain more vitamins, minerals, and disease-fighting compounds. Read on to find out more about fruits and vegetables powerful health benefits.

For Baked Products

• Red produce is full of lycopene and anthocyanins, which act as powerful antioxidants to help protect cells from damage. They help maintain heart health, vision, immunity and may help lower the risk of certain cancers. Try tomatoes, sweet red peppers, beets, radishes, red onions, red grapes, strawberries, raspberries, watermelon, pomegranates, rhubarb, pink/red grapefruit, cherries, cranberries, and red apples.
• Orange/Yellow produce have carotenoids, bioflavonoids, and the antioxidant vitamin C, which help sustain heart health, vision, and immunity, while also lower the risk of certain cancers. Some good fruits and veggies include sweet potatoes, carrots, squash, orange and yellow peppers, cantaloupe, mangos, oranges, peaches, papayas, pineapple, tangerines, yellow pears, and nectarines.
• Green fruits and veggies contain lutein and indoles, both of which have antioxidant potential and may help promote healthy vision and reduce the risk of certain cancers. Try some of these green goodies: broccoli, dark leafy greens, green peppers, spinach, green peppers, asparagus, zucchini, avocados, green grapes, green apples, honeydew, and kiwifruit.
• Blue/Purple produce contain anthocyanins and phenolics, which may have antioxidance and anti-aging benefits and may help with memory, urinary tract health, and reduced cancer risks. Here are some great items to try: purpule cabbage, eggplant, black olives, blueberries, figs, purple grapes, and plums.
• White or Tan/Brown fruits and vegetables have anthooxanthins, and some also have allicin, which can help maintain healthy cholesterol and blood pressure levels, as well as lower the risk of heart disease and certain cancers. Try cauliflower, onions, mushrooms, jicama, potatoes, garlic, ginger, white peaches, and bananas.

To help you increase your intake and reap the rewards, try some of the ideas listed below.

• At Breakfast: top your cereal with fresh fruit; mix fruit with low-fat or fat-free yogurt and granola; mix a diced apple or dried fruit into cooked cereal; add veggies to omelets; top waffles with yogurt and fruit; drink 100% juice.
• At Lunch or Dinner: have a main dish salad or a side salad as part of your meal (go light on the dressing); grill vegetable or fruit kabobs at barbecues; top pizza with mushrooms, peppers, onions, or pineapple; top sandwiches with sliced veggies; top a baked potato with salsa; fill half of your plate with vegetables and fruit.
• For Dessert: try fruit salad, baked apples or dip strawberries in chocolate syrup or low-fat whipped cream.
• At Snacks: make a smoothie with fruit, low-fat yogurt, and ice; mix fresh fruit and granola into yogurt; spread peanut butter on apple slices; top frozen yogurt with berries or peach slices; try a bit of low-fat salad dressing with raw veggies; dip fresh fruit into low-fat yogurt or pudding.
• When Cooking or Baking: use applesauce to replace half of the oil in any recipe; add chopped mushrooms, peppers, onions, or carrots to spaghetti sauce; blend cooked cauliflower into mashed potatoes; plan some meals around a vegetable main dish, such as a vegetable stir-fry; shred carrots or zucchini into meatloaf or casseroles; slice a sweet potato, toss with a little olive oil, season, and bake to make sweet potato chips; stock up on frozen vegetables for quick and easy cooking in the microwave.
• In General: Buy fresh fruits and vegetables in season, when they'll cost less and also be at their peak flavor; if time is a factor, look for convenience - pick up pre-washed bags of salad greens, baby carrots, or grape tomatoes or buy pre-cut packages of fruit; keep fruits and veggies out where you can see them - on the counter or in a see-through container in the front of the fridge.

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