BENEFITS OF COLORFUL FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

There is more to colorful fruits and vegetables than just making your plate look pretty!  Karen Ansel, a registered dietitian and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, states that you get a better mix of nutrients by eating produce in a variety of shades thanks to the unique combination of vitamins, antioxidants, and natural chemicals behind the bright colors.  Research proves these colorful inducing compounds help to ward off disease, slow the aging process, and boost overall general health.  A few examples of some of these benefits are listed below:

Reds - a handful of cherries, fresh or dried, eaten an hour before bedtime can increase your level of melatonin helping you to fall asleep quicker and rest better.

• The lycopene in tomatoes gives them their red shade and guards against cancer.  Cooking increases the lycopene in tomatoes.
• Red bell peppers are full of lutein, a compound that can reduce the risk of macular degeneration and improve vision. Red bell peppers are very high in vitamin C. Higher than citrus fruits.
• Yellows - Corn, and this is probably a surprise, is rich in beta-cryptoxanthin. People who eat foods rich in beta-cryptoxanthin regularly reduce their risk of lung cancer by 27%.
• Bananas - Rich in potassium, bananas help to stave off cardiovascular disease and also help to regulate blood pressure.
• Pineapple - Just one cup of pineapple gives you 128% of the recommended daily allowance of manganese.  Manganese is an essential nutrient that takes cancer-causing free radicals out of cells.
• Remember this is not a complete list, just a partial list to show how important these colorful fruits and vegetables are to our diets.  Tomorrow's post will discuss other colors.

file photo for reference