Eat The Rainbow - KWQC-TV6

DAVENPORT, Iowa-(KWQC)

Katie Schaeffer, registered dietitian with Hy-Vee, comes back to PSL to emphasize the importance of eating a colorful diet. Those colors in fruits and vegetables represent an array of life-enhancing nutritional benefits in the form of myriad vitamins, minerals, and other micronutrients.

• RED pigments found in strawberries, cranberries, red bell peppers, raspberries, red grapes, and tomatoes behave as antioxidants, linked to lowered blood pressure. They also contain vitamin C, which nourishes skin, bones, and connective tissue. Plus, according to some research, certain red foods like grapes contain resveratrol—a compound that protects against cancer, heart disease and dementia. But they all have fiber in common, for regulating blood sugar and aiding digestion.
• ORANGE: You can thank vitamins A and C for the orange color in carrots, cantaloupe, oranges, orange bell peppers, and peaches. Beta-carotene pigment (think “carrot”), a precursor to vitamin A, aids vision and may prevent heart disease and cancer. Beta-carotene is also good for the immune system. Eating foods with abundant vitamin C keeps cells healthy.
• YELLOW produce such as corn, lemons, yellow bell peppers, yellow squash, and yellow tomatoes get their color from beta-carotene (vitamin A) plus antioxidants that neutralize free radicals. Like other produce, yellow foods provide fiber. In fact, 1 cup of cooked corn furnishes 16 percent of the daily recommendation for fiber.
• GREEN: Chlorophyll, which gives these foods like asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, honeydew melon, kale, kiwi, and salad greens their green color, does not actually deliver health benefits. Those come from vitamins A, C and K; folate; and fiber. Dark leafy greens are especially rich in vitamin K, necessary for blood to clot properly, while folate prevents anemia and helps the body break down and use proteins.
• PURPLE pigments in blackberries, concord grapes, eggplant, plums, purple cabbage, and purple carrots indicate antioxidants that delay cell aging. Purple produce has many health benefits: One-half cup cooked purple cabbage supplies about 30 percent of daily recommended vitamins C and K (normal blood clotting). One cup of blackberries contains 34 percent of daily requirement of vitamin C, 24 percent vitamin K, and 27 percent fiber.
• BLUE fruits and veggies, such as black currents, blueberries, and elderberries, share many of the same health benefits with purple ones. In addition, blueberries furnish manganese, a trace mineral required for enzyme reactions and proper metabolism.

Copyright 2021 KWQC. All rights reserved.

Adblock test (Why?)

Eat The Rainbow - KWQC-TV6
Read More