Rainbow of vegetables and fruit keep you fit

Rainbow of vegetables and fruit keep you fit

Melissa Southern Garcia, Dietitian, Jakarta, southerndietitian@yahoo.com

My latest article focused on the importance of eating fruits and
vegetables, and although this may seem a fairly simple topic, it
has prompted quite a few questions from readers.

Several readers have told me that they are making a conscious
effort to improve their health by including more fruits and
vegetables in their diet and many of them included examples of
what they eat each day.

One common thread that I saw in many readers' diets and that I
see with my clients in general, is a lack of variety. It is great
to see people making an effort to improve their diets by eating
fruits and vegetables, but it would be so much better to be able
to take full advantage of the many benefits provided by nature's
produce.

How do we do that? By making sure that we get a wide variety
of fruits and vegetables in our diet and not fall into the trap
of routine. This type of eating is often referred to as "eating a
rainbow".

Although the phrase may sound simplistic, the concept makes a
lot of sense. Fruits and vegetables of the same color tend to
have the same types of vitamins and phytochemicals. In fact, it's
the major phytochemicals that actually give fruits and vegetables
their color. Eating a variety of different colored produce will
allow you to get a broad mix of these disease fighting chemicals
plus a variety of vitamins and minerals so you can get the most
out of your fruit and vegetable consumption.

Let's look at some examples: One reader likes to eat bananas
three times per day. This provides six servings of fruit, and a
wonderful source of potassium and some vitamin C. However,
bananas are mild in color so they contain a less than average
amount of phytochemicals, for example. They are also lacking in
vitamin A.

Another reader drinks papaya juice and tomato juice as a part
of his regular routine. Tomatoes are an excellent source of
lycopene, which has been shown to reduce the risk of prostate
cancer. Both papaya and tomato are of the yellow/orange/red color
family and are consequently excellent sources of vitamin A and
the antioxidant beta-carotene.

So even though this reader is eating two great sources of
nutrients, he is eating them in the same color family and thus
receiving the same types of nutritional benefits.

Studies have shown that although the number of food choices
available in stores is upwards of 1,000 products, most shoppers
tend to buy the same 30-40 items on a regular basis. Thinking of
buying a rainbow when you shop, or of trying one new or different
fruit or vegetable each week can help you get a broader variety
of nutrients as well as add new favorites to your diet.

Once again, remember to look for different colors when you
choose your produce. When it comes to lettuce and greens, the
darker the color, the more antioxidants the vegetable will
contain. Dark purple and deep red fruits and vegetables such as
blueberries, red grapes or certain types of lettuce such as
arugula, provide flavanoids, which are some of the most powerful
antioxidants known.

Some of its benefits include lower risk of heart attack and
diminished risk of overall heart disease. Yellow and orange
fruits and vegetables will provide beta-carotene and precursors
to vitamin A. Many of the lighter colored produce such as yucca,
potato, radish and cauliflower are good sources of potassium, a
mineral essential to the proper functioning of our bodies and an
aid in lowering blood pressure.

Living in a tropical country allows you to have access to a
wonderful variety of fruits and vegetables, learn to experiment,
try something new and look for a variety of colors. You never
know, you may find a pot of gold on the other side of the
rainbow.