Health Benefits by Color
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Green - cleans and detoxifies your body as well as provides strength for your bones and teeth. Improves eyesight and immune system as well. Rich in chlorophyll, isothiocyanates, vitamin K, folic acid, and potassium.
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Orange – supports eye health, boost immune system and helps improve skin health. Rich source for B-carotene. Has antioxidant and provitamin A activity.
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Purple – helps with strengthening your memory, urinary system and blood vessels. The darker the color, the higher the concentration of phytochemicals. Rich source for Anthocyanins. Contains lutein, A-and B-carotene.
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Red – decreases blood pressure, helps cell renewal, keeps your heart healthy and strong. Contains considerable amount of B-carotene, lutein.
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White – supports immune system, lower cholesterol. Contains phytochemicals.
Yellow – healthy joints and tissues, lowers cholesterol, supports eyesight. Lutein is present.
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Definitions
Anthocyanins - are antioxidants that provide a number of healthy benefits for your heart.
Antioxidant - is a chemical property that acts against free radicals (unstable molecules) that damage DNA, cell membranes and other parts of the cell.
Beta carotene - a red/orange pigment which the human body converts into vitamin A.
Carcinogens - cancer producing substances
Chlorophyll - is a pigment that gives plants their green color. May help with body odors and skin condition.
Folate (B9) - important for red blood cell formation and for healthy cell growth and function.
Glucosinolate - naturally produced mustard oils that produces a pungent/bitter taste in plants like mustard, cabbage, and horseradish. Great for a healthy digestive track.
Isothiocyanate - anti cancer properties.
Lutein - a carotenoid that helps keep your eyes healthy.
Phytochemicals - are chemicals that provide vegetables and fruits with color, flavor and aroma. Helps with preventing the formation of carcinogens (cancer producing substances.)
Phytonutrients - are compounds made by plants that have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and other healthy benefits.
Vitamin A - is a nutrient important to vision, growth, cell division, reproduction and immunity.
Vitamin C - vital to the body’s healing process. Forms blood vessels, cartilage, muscle, and collagen in bones.
Vitamin K - reduces blood clotting, increases bone metabolism, and helps regulate blood calcium levels.
Smoothie
With the consistency of a milkshake, fruit and vegetable smoothies provide a variety of beneficial nutrients. By using the whole fruit and vegetable, you are not only consuming mineral, vitamins, and phytonutrients, you are also consuming all dietary fiber the skin and pulp contain. Adding fruits and vegetables of different colors will offer you a variety of nutritional value.
Juicing
If you do not enjoy eating the whole fruit or vegetable, juicing may be a better fit for you. Juicing is the process of extracting the natural fluids from the skin and pulp. This method is beneficial as it contains minerals, vitamins, and phytonutrients in their raw state. However, dietary fibers are lost in this process but can easily be gained by adding the leftover pulp into your baking recipe giving your dish a more uplifting and refreshing flavor.
