Different nutrients impart different colors to the foods they are in. Also, it is important to know that you can always get what your body requires by eating a colorful variety of fruits and vegetables. Find out exactly how this works below:
WHITE
white foods contain important phytochemicals called anthoxanthins (or flavonols). The most common anthoxanthins is quercetin, which is found in onions and shallots and it is said that it may lower the risk of heart disease and block the release of histamine, helping to ease the symptoms of allergies like hay fever. Garlic contains an antioxidant called allicin that has been found to act as a natural antibiotic and may help to reduce blood pressure.
Cauliflower
Mushrooms
Garlic
Onions
Potatoes
GREEN
Cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli and kale, provide compounds called indoles and isothiocyanates, which may help prevent cancer by amping up the production of enzymes that clear toxins from the body.
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cauliflower
Green cabbage
Kale
YELLOW
Many yellow and leafy green vegetables are good sources of lutein and zeaxanthin, phytochemicals that accumulate in the eyes and help prevent age-related macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness in older people. Leafy greens are also rich in beta carotene.
Artichoke
Corn
Lettuce
Summer squash
Wax beans
Arugula
Chard
Collards
Mustard greens
Turnip greens
ORANGE
Alpha and beta carotene make foods like carrots and sweet potatoes so brilliantly orange. The body converts these compounds into the active form of vitamin A, which helps keep your eyes, bones and immune system healthy. These phytochemicals also operate as antioxidants, sweeping up disease-promoting free radicals.
Apricots
Cantaloupe
Carrots
Mango
Oranges
Papaya
Pumpkin
Sweet potatoes
Tangerines
Winter squash
RED
Red foods, such as tomatoes and watermelon, contain lycopene, a phytochemical that may help protect against prostate and breast cancers. Deep red , heart health
Guava
Pink grapefruit
Red peppers
Tomatoes
Watermelon
deep red
Radishes (red)
Raspberries
Strawberries
BLUE and PURPLE
Blue and purple fruits and vegetables are packed with anthocyanins and proanthocyanins, antioxidants associated with keeping the heart healthy and the brain functioning optimally.
Blackberries
Blueberries
Eggplant
Plums
Cranberries
Grapes