The Colors of the Rainbow
We’re nearing the time of year when summer’s fruits and veggies are at their most plentiful. In celebration this month, we’re encouraging you to eat your colors! Yes, you read that right. As it turns out, there’s more to the color of your food than you may have thought.
Antioxidants and Free Radicals
As you probably know, plants contain antioxidants – chemical substances that help reduce the damage caused to our cells by toxins and the natural aging process. Antioxidants stop the harmful chain reaction caused when free radicals (or damaged cells) bounce around from one cell to the next in our body, damaging other cells and creating more free radicals in their wake. Antioxidants are a huge part of why eating fruits and vegetables is so important; without them, your body would struggle to ward off disease and replenish its healthy cells.
Antioxidants come in the form of:
Vitamins – Biological compounds not produced by the body that are essential for normal growth and body function.
Enzymes – Large molecules that kick start the chemical processes in the body (like digestion) that sustain life. Most are produced by your body, but require the trace elements and minerals you get from your diet to function.
Phytochemicals (or phytonutrients) – Plant compounds that provide plants with their color, flavor and smell, and that also protect plants for UV damage, pests and disease. Phytonutrients have the capability to protect humans from disease, as, like vitamins, phytonutrients can stop free-radical chain reactions.
There are thousands of phytonutrients; lycopene, lutein, and resveratrol are a few that you may have heard of. While phytonutrients are not necessarily essential to the body’s survival, most experts agree that consuming foods high in phytonutrients can reduce chances of chronic disease and premature aging.
The Colors of the Rainbow
Interestingly, fruits and veggies of the same color often contain varying amounts of the same phytonutrients, even though they may be quite different in appearance, taste and texture.
For example:
- Tomatoes , raspberries, grapefruit and other red plants contain lycopene, a phytonutrient that, among other things, appears to help in preventing bone loss and tumor growth.
- From squash to pineapple to carrots, orange and yellow plants contain lutein and other carotenoids that prevent conditions like glaucoma or cataracts.
- Blues, purples and deep reds (like blueberries, plums, and eggplants) contain resveratrol, which is famous for promoting heart health and potentially slowing the aging process.
- Greens, like broccoli and kale, contain sulphur compounds known as glucosinolates, which have powerful anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-carcinogenic, and anti-bacterial effects.
These are just a few tiny examples! There are thousands of phytonutrients in fruits and veggies, and each can have a variety of positive impacts on our bodies. But, ultimately, a food’s color can be an indicator for the types of health benefits you can reap from eating it. So, if you want to expose your body to a variety of health-boosting, anti-aging compounds, be sure to opt for variety when it comes to the color of your produce!
For very cool visual breakdowns of the different phytonutrients in different fruit and vegetable color groups, check out this infographic from Precision Nutrition or this phytonutrient poster from the Missouri Department of Health.
We’re just scratching the surface when it comes to plant color and phytonutrients! If you’re interested in learning more, check out these links:
The Special Nutritional Power Found in Fruits and Vegetables – World’s Healthiest Foods
Phytonutrient FAQs – Produce for Better Health Foundation
Nutrition: Fruit & Vegetable Colors – Livestrong
Disclaimer: As always, this article is not intended to replace medical advice. To best understand their nutritional needs, we encourage readers to consult with health professionals.
