Go
For Color!
Fruits and
vegetables come in all colors of the
rainbow. And when it comes to
choosing your fruits and vegetables, the latest recommendations emphasize
eating a wide variety of colors every day to get some of the more than 9,000
health-promoting plant-based substances called phytochemicals
and reduce the risks of cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.
Try to see how many colors you can eat in your 5
A Day.
RED
Red fruits and
vegetables are rich in lycopene and are a good
source of anthocyanins.
Lycopene is an antioxidant that
helps reduce the risk of several types of cancer, including prostate cancer.
Anthocyanins also appear to help control blood sugar and protect
against diabetes-related circulatory problems.
Cherries
Raspberries
Red Grapes
Guava
Red Apples (with skin)
Strawberries
Pink
Grapefruit
Red Pears (with skin)
Tomatoes
Red Cabbage
Red Peppers
Watermelon
BLUE/PURPLE
Blue and purple fruits
and vegetables are rich sources of anthocyanins and
phenols.
Both of these phytochemicals are
powerful antioxidants that can help reduce
your risk of cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer’s.
Beets
Blackberries
Plums & Prunes (dried plums)
Blueberries
Eggplant
Purple Grape Juice
Black
Currants
Elderberries
Purple Grapes
ORANGE/YELLOW
Orange fruits and
vegetables are high in beta-carotene; an antioxidant
converted in the body to vitamin A that
helps reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease, maintains eyesight, and
helps boost the immune system. Bioflavonoids,
which work with vitamin C to help reduce
the risk of cancer, strengthen bones and teeth, heal wounds, keep skin healthy
and lower the risk of heart attacks are also present in orange fruits and
vegetables.
Acorn
Squash
Papaya
Mangos
Apricots
Peaches
Nectarines
Butternut
Squash
Pears
Oranges
Cantaloupe
Pineapple
Sweet Potatoes
Carrots
Pumpkin
Tangerines
Lemons
Yellow Pepper
Yellow/Golden Raisin
GREEN
Green fruits and
vegetables are among the best sources of lutein;
an antioxidant that helps reduce the risk of cataracts and macular
degeneration, which can cause loss of vision.
Green vegetables are also a rich source of indoles,
which help to reduce the risk of breast and prostate cancer.
One recent study found that men who ate vegetables rich in indoles
three times or more a week had 42 percent less prostate cancer.
Arugula
Cucumbers
Mustard Greens
Bok Choy
Green Beans
Romaine Lettuce
Broccoli
Green Leaf Lettuce
Spinach
Brussels
Sprouts
Green Peas
Swiss Chard
Cabbage
Kale
Turnip Greens
Collard
Greens
Kiwi
Zucchini (with skin)
WHITE
The white foods below
are rich sources of allicin, which helps
control blood pressure and cholesterol and seems to increase the body’s
ability to fight infection.
Chives Garlic Leeks Onions
Web Sites:
