Diets
Decorated with Color May Help Prevent Disease
 Watkins
Fruit Veggie Complex contains 41 varieties of fruits & vegetables. If you didn't eat
your rainbow today, be sure to take your Fruit & Veggie Complex. |
Today's Healthy Outlook with Jennifer
Foss, RN
(ARA) - Have you heard the Irish myth that says at the end of
every rainbow lies a pot of gold? Although there may be no truth to tales of little green
leprechauns, there may still be value in chasing rainbows, at least when it comes to what
you eat. According to recent studies, a diet rich in colorful fruits and vegetables may
lead you to the treasure of good health.
The Wheel to Well-Being
For years American diets have been guided mostly by
recommendations from the food pyramid. This past fall, researchers at the UCLA Center for
Human Nutrition unveiled the Color Wheel of Health. This new approach to nutrition
emphasizes the importance of eating color-rich fruits and vegetables. The color wheel is
based on emerging research that links the chemicals in colorful fruits and vegetables to
decreased risks of certain diseases. The wheel is divided into seven groups including:
* Red -- tomatoes, watermelons, pink grapefruit.
* Red-Purple -- strawberries, blueberries, cranberries, grapes.
* Orange --
carrots, pumpkin, winter squash, apricots, cantaloupe.
* Orange-yellow -- citrus fruits, peaches, papayas, pineapple, nectarines.
* Green --
broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, cauliflower, watercress.
* Yellow-Green
- collard greens, spinach, mustard and turnip greens, avocado, green peas, green beans,
honeydew melon.
* White-Green -- garlic, onions, shallots, leeks, chives.
Powerful Pigments
Scientists believe that the pigment of fruits and
vegetables contains health-promoting compounds called phytochemicals that inhibit disease.
For example, lycopene, the chemical that colors tomatoes, acts as an antioxidant that may
lower rates of heart disease and prostate cancer. The richer, more intensely colored a
food is, the more disease-fighting properties it may have. Pale vegetables do contain
pigments that protect against disease, but color still matters. While white onions have
been shown to boost the immune system, lower cholesterol and protect against heart
disease, red and yellow onions have more nutrients.
What Hue Can Do
The scientific evidence behind the Color Wheel of Health
continues to grow. Some of the most promising research comes from studies of blueberries.
A study by Tufts University found that out of 40 fruits and vegetables analyzed,
blueberries have the highest antioxidant content. Researchers believe that anthocyanin,
the substance that colors blueberries, may be a powerful antioxidant that fights cancer.
Tufts researchers also found that aging rats that were given blueberry extracts performed
better at coordination and memory tests. Now the link between blueberries and improved
memory is being studied in older people.
Other potent produce includes:
* Raspberries and strawberries -- Researchers from Indiana
University and Ohio State University found that raspberries and strawberries inhibit the
growth of colon and esophageal cancer cells in rats exposed to tobacco smoke carcinogens.
* Carrots, squash and sweet potato -- The Nurses' Health
Study found that women who ate the most of these vegetables have the lowest risk of breast
cancer. These vegetables are full of phytochemicals called carotenoids.
* Spinach and broccoli -- These vegetables contain high
amounts of vitamin K. The Framington Heart Study found that elderly men and women with
high vitamin K intakes had significantly fewer hip fractures. Spinach, which contains
lutein, is also believed to fight the eye disease macular degeneration.
Courtesy of ARA Content
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