Walk into the produce section in any reputable supermarket and you’re likely to notice a rainbow of colors. It’s not just about aesthetics, though; the colors of each fruit and vegetable you eat carry a far deeper meaning and significance than you might think. Each color represents various plant compounds that can benefit your health. Not surprisingly, the brightest hues indicate an abundance of nutrients.
Armed with this knowledge, you can intentionally create meals every day that encompass a broader spectrum of nutrients. We’re going to look at the bounty of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidant components brimming from each bright and colorful fruit and vegetable group. As you eat your way through a rainbow of colors each day, relish the significance of each color group as you press toward achieving your health goals.
Red
When it comes to red-hued produce, you’ll find a bounty of benefits. Two specific compounds merit your attention:
- Lycopene, a carotenoid (a fat-soluble pigment) you find in tomatoes and bell peppers. Lycopene can help keep your heart healthy, your eyes strong, and your cells healthy and thriving.
- Anthocyanins, the pigments that give red, purple, and blue plants their rich coloring. In addition to being antioxidants and fighting free radicals, anthocyanins have anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and anti-cancer properties.
A couple of rogue non-red veggies–carrots and asparagus–also contain lycopene. Beets, radishes, strawberries, cherries, red onion, and watermelon–among other produce–boast a slew of nutrients and antioxidants, such as vitamin A (beta carotene), vitamin C, manganese, and fiber.
Orange
Orange fruits and veggies give your body essential alpha-carotene to fight illness, improve skin, and keep your eyes healthy. They also contain beta-carotene for antioxidant benefits. Both alpha- and beta carotene are precursors of Vitamin A.
Beta carotene is a red-orange pigment found in plants and fruits, especially carrots and other colorful vegetables like sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and acorn squash. Orange produce can also help to boost your immune system, fight free radicals, and build healthy bones and joints.
Yellow
Fresh foods that are yellow or yellow-green contain lutein and zeaxanthin, two important antioxidants that protect our eyes from rogue molecules known as free radicals. When left unchecked, free radicals can wreak havoc on our cells, ramp up the aging process, and usher in chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s.
Lutein and zeaxanthin work like a natural sunblock by sopping up excess light energy, especially from the blue light emitted by our computers and other tech devices. These two antioxidants defend our eyes against damage from conditions such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), cataracts, and diabetic retinopathy. They’re also great for heart health.
Yellow summer squash and avocados are very obvious–and delicious–choices for consuming lutein and zeaxanthin. However, there are–again–a few rogue veggies that contain these antioxidant warriors but don’t really fit that “yellow” category. Examples: orange bell peppers, mustard greens, and peas.
Green
We find phytochemicals (chemicals that originate in plants; “phyto” means “plant” in Greek) in all green produce, so you have a plethora of green fruits and veggies to choose from. Plants produce phytochemicals for their own protection, but these chemicals also help humans to fight illness and naturally detoxify our bodies.
There are more than a thousand known phytochemicals, so we can never go wrong with a diet that is heavy in green vegetables. Green produce can also help to boost your metabolism and keep you full longer. Go for broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts, spinach, and arugula. Incidentally, cauliflower, although white in color, is another rogue veggie that shows up as part of this group!
Blue
Purple produce is also lumped into the “blue” category. With these colors, you’re getting anthocyanins, the pigments that give red, purple, and blue plants their rich coloring. Blue produce also contains lutein, zeaxanthin, resveratrol, Vitamin C, fiber, flavonoids, ellagic acid, and quercetin.
Adults who eat purple and blue fruits and vegetables have reduced risk for both high blood pressure and low HDL cholesterol (the “good” kind). In addition, consumers of blue produce are less likely to be overweight.
What other benefits can you expect from eating blue foods? They are great for tamping down inflammation, they boost the immune system, they support a healthy gut, and they can help limit the activity of cancerous cells throughout the body.
Beets, eggplants, blueberries, grapes, and purple cabbage are among the top stars of blue produce. They help prevent blood clots and delay the aging of your cells. Some research even suggests that consuming more blue produce can slow down the onset of chronic illnesses that we all want to keep at bay.
White
Light green and white produce tend to be lumped together because both contain allicin, a compound found in garlic and some other white produce. They come from the allium family (the word allium is Latin for “garlic”), which includes onions, leeks, scallions, chives, and shallots. We use these white and green produce to make stews, soups, and sauces, as well as to garnish our dishes. Allicin is a potent antimicrobial compound that fights disease, helps reduce blood pressure, blocks platelet aggregation, and boosts immunity.
Which color group of produce do you need to add more to your diet?
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