Green — Green leafy vegetables are rich in chlorophyll as well as isothiacyanates. These reduce carcinogenic agents from the liver. Green vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, Bok  Choy, kale, collards, etc. also contain several other anticancer compounds. Apart from these phytonutrient antioxidants, the green cruciferous vegetables are rich in vitamin K, folic acid, potassium, magnesium, and more. Other examples are apples, asparagus, celery, leeks, lettuce, grapes, cucumbers, avocadoes, limes, snap peas, and all the green leafy vegetables.

Green / Yellow — These vegetables and fruits are rich in lutein, which is very important for eye health. Lutein is especially necessary for elderly people to prevent age related macular degeneration. Most of these green/yellow fruits and vegetables are also rich in vitamin C. Examples are Kiwi, spinach, avocados, honeydew melon, yellow bell peppers, swede, persimmons.

Yellow / Orange — Carotenoids or beta-carotene is responsible for imparting the yellow/orange pigment color to certain vegetables and fruits. These are extremely rich in vitamin A and retinol, which is needed for acne and wrinkle prevention. Vitamin A is needed for strong immune system function and healthy vision. Research is also showing that certain beta-carotenes are also useful in preventing cancers of the stomach, esophagus, and more. Examples are mangoes, apricots, carrots, cantaloupe melon, nectarines, sweet potatoes, oranges, pumpkins, squashes.

Blue / Purple — This color is due to the content of anthocyanin, which are antioxidants that provide numerous heart-healthy benefits. The darker the blue color, the higher the concentration of phytochemicals in it. To get more anthocyanin antioxidants in your diet, go for blueberries as these are especially high in them. Other examples include blackberries, plums, prunes, pomegranates, red cabbage, eggplant, and purple grapes.

Red — The main pigment that gives the red color to vegetables and fruits is lycopene. It is a powerful antioxidant that is being researched for preventing cancer as well as cardiovascular disease. Lycopene is also useful for protecting prostate health and maintaining the breast tissue. Red vegetables and fruits are also rich in flavinoids, resveratrol, and vitamin C, as well as folates. Resveratrol is abundant in the skin of red grapes and is an antioxidant which is being investigated for its cancer preventive properties. Examples include grapes, radishes, red bell peppers, cherries, tomatoes, cranberries, watermelons, guava, and pink grapefruit.

Beige / White / or No Color — Some vegetables have no color on their inside (eggplant). That does not mean they are deficient in nutrients or phytochemicals. In fact, many types of flavinoids are actually colorless and they still help the body counter the free radical formation. Other examples include celeriac, garlic, daikon, artichokes, onions, turnips, white potatoes.

The take away message here is that our diet should consist of rainbow-colored vegetables and fruits to get all their health benefits. There are literally thousands of phytochemicals available in nature (many are still yet to be studied in depth to reveal their amazing nutritional benefits), and in order to obtain their wonderful health benefits, we need to eat more colored vegetables and fruits daily. Fortunately for us, juicing makes that mission a whole lot easier and more achievable! The combinations and options are endless and limited only by produce available in the markets.

To learn more about my monthly 3-day juice detox and cleansing program, plus the many ways that juicing vegetables and fruits can boost your energy and metabolism, eliminate toxins, kick-start weight loss success, and nourish your body with all the vital nutrients it needs for optimum health,

Your body is amazingly intelligent and when you give it the right nutrients,  co-factors, and a huge dose of self-love,  it will naturally respond with healing and rejuvenation! In fact, that is your body’s only agenda — called homeostasis in medical terms — to maintain optimum health and balance, and this program is a powerful vehicle to help you achieve it.

The post The Meaning of Colors Behind Vegetables & Fruits appeared first on Chef Doc Dee's.

The study was led by physician and nutrition specialist Bess Dawson-Hughes at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, Mass. ARS is a scientific research agency in the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Fruits and vegetables are metabolized to bicarbonate and thus are alkali-producing. But the typical American diet is rich in protein (meat and dairy) and cereal grains that are metabolized to acid, and thus are acid-producing. With aging, such diets lead to a mild but slowly increasing metabolic “acidosis.”

The researchers conducted a placebo-controlled study involving healthy male and female volunteers aged 50 or older. Key measurements were taken at the beginning and end of the intervention, which lasted three months.

A group of 78 volunteers had been provided either of two bicarbonates—potassium or sodium—along with their usual diet and exercise regimes. Key bone mineral nutrients were controlled to reduce variation in study outcomes. The bicarbonate groups consumed an amount of bicarbonate equivalent to about 9 servings of fruits and vegetables daily. This allowed the researchers to look at possible acid-neutralizing effects from an adequate alkali load.

The results showed that the 78 volunteers in the bicarbonate groups had significant reductions in biomarkers that are associated with bone loss and fracture than the 84 in the no-bicarbonate, or control, group.

The authors concluded that increasing the alkali content of the diet, for example by consuming more fruits and vegetables, merits further study as a safe and low-cost approach to improving skeletal health in older men and women.

Source – www.sciencedaily.com  

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