We've all heard "A diet rich in fruits and vegetables and low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease." We continually read health claims stressing the importance of eating plenty of fruits and vegetables every day.
Seven servings a day of fruits and vegetables is the recommended amount. Yet the average American diet is only three servings a day and many times those servings consist of iceberg lettuce, French fries and a little ketchup for color.
A recent campaign has been introduced using a color palette of fruits and vegetables to meet your daily requirements.
Color is an easy way to think about adding variety to your diet. Eating regularly from each color in the chart is one sure way to healthy living. Individuals with the highest intake of fruits and vegetables have the lowest incidence of obesity and healthy digestive systems.
As Americans, we don't get enough fiber in our diets. This can lead to impaired or sluggish digestive functions. The chemicals in fruits and vegetables trigger a number of protective reactions in your cells that protect you from natural and artificial pollutants and can reduce your risk of heart disease, common forms of cancer, Alzheimer's disease and accelerated aging.
What are the colors that make up a food palette?
Red, red/purple, orange, orange/yellow, yellow/green, green and white/green.
OK, now that we know the colors, what are the benefits you can get from the variety? Red, which includes tomatoes, pink grapefruit and watermelon all contain lycopene, an antioxidant. Cooked tomato products such as pasta sauce, soups and juices are better sources than the raw product.
The red/purple group includes grapes, red wine, cranberries, blueberries, strawberries and red apples. These foods contain powerful antioxidants that may have a beneficial effect on heart disease by inhibiting blood clot formation.
The orange group includes carrots, apricots, pumpkin, mangos, squash and sweet potatoes. They provide alpha- and beta-carotene, which is good for protecting the immune system and to fight infections.
The orange/yellow group includes oranges, tangerines, peaches, nectarines and papaya, which prevents cholesterol synthesis that can cause cancer cell growth.
The yellow/green group includes spinach, collard greens, yellow corn, peas, honeydew melons and avocado. These foods provide nutrients that contribute to good eye health. Increased intake of this yellow/green group prevents cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.
The green group includes broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, green beans and dark leafy lettuces. They help stimulate the genes in your liver to turn on the production of enzymes that break down the cancer-causing chemicals in the body.
The last group, the white/green group, includes garlic, onions, cauliflower, bananas, celery, pears, endive, white wine and chives. These have been shown to have anti-tumor effects. They are a rich source of flavonoids, which helps activate your DNA repair system.
Whew.
That's saying a mouthful.
So where do we begin to get all seven servings? Breakfast is a perfect opportunity for fresh fruit. Look for fruits that are in season to keep your costs down. Right now oranges and pink grapefruit are plentiful. Why not peel one or both? You've just consumed two servings and two different colors in one meal. Add a banana and you have three colors in three servings. Summertime brings a cornucopia of melons and berries. When it's hot and humid, breakfast can be a fruit salad using every possible fruit available.
What's for lunch? Salads are the fastest and easiest way to consume additional servings. With all the varieties of salad greens available, be colorful by adding two or three different kinds of greens. Let's start with some spinach, cabbage and leafy lettuce. To this we add chopped tomatoes, carrots, celery and mushrooms. We now have six groups and six more servings. You have now met your daily requirement of seven servings and six of the seven colors.
Mission accomplished.
Other salad options are strawberries and spinach with a light vinaigrette dressing or red leafy lettuce with pears and almonds with a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Not into salads?
A big bowl of vegetable soup can satisfy part of your requirements.
For dinner, have a glass of red wine to meet your seventh color group. Red wine has nutrients that are good for your heart.
Roasted vegetables should not be limited to potatoes and corn. Try adding carrots, broccoli, onions and red peppers. It not only looks colorful, it's really tasty. Add a dessert of fresh fruit.
Congratulations, you've met your daily needs. Now that wasn't so hard, was it?
The choices are plentiful and only limited in your imagination. Be creative. Have fun putting together dishes that are colorful and tasty. For more suggestions, go to the book, "What Color is Your Diet?" by David Heber, M.D.,Ph.D., the director for UCLA's Center for Human Nutrition. Use fruits and vegetables that are in season to keep food costs down. Your body will thank you for taking care of it.
Chef Susan Mochel, CCWA, certified chef of the wine arts and sommelier, is a part-time instructor with First Coast Technical Institute's School of Culinary Arts. Pastry arts, confections and breads are Chef Mochel's forte.
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