Eating 5 or more servings of colorful fruits and vegetables a day is part of an important plan for healthier living. That’s because deeply hued fruits and vegetables provide the wide range of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytochemicals your body needs to maintain good health and energy levels, protect against the effects of aging, and reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease.*
Choose the Colors of Health
It’s all about color – blue/purple, green, white, yellow/orange, and red – and the power of colorful fruits and vegetables to promote good health. And for variety, make it 5 A Day - The Color Way:
BLUE/PURPLE
Boost the level of BLUE/PURPLE in your low-fat diet to help maintain:
A lower risk of some cancers*
Urinary tract health
Memory function
Healthy aging
Beat the Effects of Aging
Blue/purple fruits and vegetables contain varying amounts of health-promoting phytochemicals such as anthocyanins and phenolics, currently being studied for their antioxidant and anti-aging benefits. Both of these phytochemicals are powerful antioxidants and are being studied for their potential to reduce the risk of some cancers, heart disease and slowing down the aging rocess.
Get blue/purple every day with foods such as:
Blackberries, Blueberries, Black currants, Dried plums, Elderberries, Purple figs, Purple grapes, Plums, Raisins, Purple asparagus, Purple cabbage, Purple carrots, Eggplant, Purple Belgian endive, Purple peppers, Potatoes (purple fleshed), Black salsify
TIP! - Start the day in a colorful way! Include color with your breakfast with blueberries, bananas, strawberries, or even canned peach slices or kiwis… be adventurous!
GREEN
Add GREEN to your low-fat diet to maintain:
A lower risk of some cancers*
Vision health
Strong bones and teeth
Go Green. Go Healthy.
Green fruits and vegetables contain varying amounts of potent phytochemicals such as lutein and indoles, which interest researchers because of their potential antioxidant, health-promoting benefits. Lutein is under study for the role it may play in maintaining good vision, while indoles are being studied for the role they may have in reducing the risk of certain cancers.
Go green every day with fruits and vegetables like these:
Avocados, Green apples, Green grapes, Honeydew, Kiwifruit, Limes, Green pears, Artichokes, Arugula, Asparagus, Brocco-flower, Broccoli, Broccoli rabe, Brussels sprouts, Chinese cabbage, Green beans, Green cabbage, Celery, Chayote squash, Cucumbers, Endive, Leafy greens, Leeks, Lettuce, Green onion, Okra, Peas, Green pepper, Sno Peas, Sugar snap peas, Spinach, Watercress, Zucchini
TIP! - Mix Your Colors! Brighten up your salad with broccoli, red peppers, yellow tomatoes, or even mango or nectarine slices... be creative!
WHITE
Working WHITE into your low-fat diet helps maintain:
Heart health
Cholesterol levels that are already healthy
A lower risk of some cancers*
White for Wellness
White, tan, and brown fruits and vegetables contain varying amounts of phytochemicals of interest to scientists. These include allicin, found in the onion family. Vegetables and fruits in the WHITE/ TAN/ BROWN group contain phytochemicals, like allyl sulfides and polyphenols. Both of these phytochemicals are under study for their potential role in reducing the risk of heart disease.
Get all the health benefits of white by including foods such as:
Bananas, Brown pears, Dates, White nectarines, White peaches, Cauliflower, Garlic, Ginger, Jerusalem artichoke, Jicama, Kohlrabi, Mushrooms, Onions, Parsnips, Potatoes (white fleshed), Shallots, Turnips, White Corn.
YELLOW/ORANGE
Make YELLOW/ORANGE a part of your low-fat diet to help maintain:
Heart health
Vision health
A healthy immune system
A lower risk of some cancers*
Powerful Antioxidants
Vegetables and fruits in the YELLOW/ORANGE group contain phytochemicals such as beta carotene and flavonoids. Orange and yellow fruits and vegetables contain varying amounts of antioxidants such as vitamin C as well as carotenoids and bio-flavonoids, two classes of phytochemicals that scientists are studying for their health-promoting potential. Along with vitamin C these phytochemicals are being studied for the role they may play in reducing the risk of heart disease, some cancers and slowing aging.
Every day, include orange and yellow fruits and vegetables like these:
Yellow apples, Apricots, Cantaloupe, Cape Gooseberries, Yellow figs, Grapefruit, Golden kiwifruit, Lemon, Mangoes, Nectarines, Oranges, Papayas, Peaches, Yellow pears, Persimmons, Pineapples, Tangerines, Yellow watermelon, Yellow beets, Butternut squash, Carrots, Yellow peppers, Yellow potatoes, Pumpkin, Rutabagas, Yellow summer squash, Sweet corn, Sweet potatoes, Yellow tomatoes, Yellow winter squash
TIP! - Busy? Be sure to keep your colors with you like oranges, carrots, raisins, grapes, or apples.
RED
Be sure to include RED in your low-fat diet to help maintain:
Heart health
Memory function
A lower risk of some cancers*
Urinary tract health
Red-hot and Healthy
Vegetables and fruits in the RED group contain phytochemicals, like lycopene and anthocyanins. Lycopene is being studied for its potential role to reduce the risk of some cancers, including prostate cancer. nthocyanins are being examined for their possible role in delaying several diseases associated with aging.
Get your reds every day by eating fruits and vegetables such as:
Red apples, Blood oranges, Cherries, Cranberries, Red grapes, Pink/Red grapefruit, Red pears, Pomegranates, Raspberries, Strawberries, Watermelon, Beets, Red peppers, Radishes, Radicchio, Red onions, Red potatoes, Rhubarb, Tomatoes
TIP! - Drink your Colors – use any one of these great smoothie ideas! Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth with a thick consistency. Add more ice if needed.
Courtesy of elderlynursing.com
