Our dinner last night was nice and colourful. I made meatballs on risoni for Daniel’s main and put some fermented veggies on the side. Home-made sauerkraut, Kimchi and balsamic braised onions – yum and full of probiotics!
Multi-coloured foods just don’t look pretty on the plate. They are also good for your health. Phytochemicals are substances that occur naturally in the plants and are thought to work synergistically with vitamins, minerals and fibre, boosting essential nutrients in them. Eating five servings of veggies is important, but also eating a variety of colourful foods helps to achieve optimal nutrition and promote good health.
Briefly listing different colours here…
– Red: Lycopene act as a powerful antioxidant protecting from cancer and heart disease. e.g. Tomatoes, watermelon, pink grapefruit, guava, cranberries, beets
– Orange/ Yellow: beta cryptoxanthin, beta carotene and alpha carotene can be converted to vitamin A in your body, which is important for your vision, immune system, skin and bone health. e.g. Carrots, mango, cantaloup, winter squash, sweet potato, apricot, papaya
– Green: chlorophyll in green fruit and vegetables have anti-cancer properties. They are also an excellent source of vitamin K, folic acid, potassium, carotenoid, and omega-3 fatty acid. e.g. Brocolli, cabbage, bok choy, Brussels sprouts, kiwi fruit, celery, kale
– Blue/ Purple: anthocyanin content in these coloured foods is antioxidants and helps to keep your heart and blood pressure healthy. e.g. Eggplant, prunes, plums, blueberries, blackberries, pomegranates
– White: alicin in white foods promotes heart health and reduce heart disease. e.g. Cauliflower, onion, banana, potato, parsnips, garlic, ,mushrooms
So overall, the more colours you eat, the better your health gets. I know it is hard if you are not used to eating fresh whole foods or have a hectic lifestyle with no time to prepare your meals. But it is totally worth spending a bit of more time and effort on changing your diet step by step because it will totally change your energy level and overall health.
My tips are…
– Plan ahead
– Try new/ unfamiliar foods rather than getting stuck with one type of food
– Take notice of colours when grocery shopping
– Swap something out for another colour such as strawberries to oranges
– Make small changes in your food habits – more plant foods means more colours!
– Be creative and have fun when preparing your food
I hope it helps x
