Fruits and Vegetables: A rainbow of benefits, an article in which we will discover how we can know the excellent properties that fruits and vegetables can give us.
Since children tell us to eat fruits and vegetables because they are good for our health, they are nutritious and full of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. And our parents were right. Eating fruits and vegetables regularly helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, maintain adequate blood pressure levels, decrease the frequency of colds, prevent inflammation and infections, reduce cholesterol levels, control anxiety or even prevent cancer. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables is one of the fundamental elements of a healthy lifestyle.
Benefits of fruits and vegetables
Every time we go to the market we find the great variety of colors and distinctive smells of each fruit or vegetable and many times we buy them just because we like them, out of habit or simply because we know they are good for our health, although we do not know all their benefits and properties. But how can we know the benefits that fruits and vegetables can provide us? Too easy. The secret is in the color. If you consume these foods on a daily basis and combine different colors you will be taking full advantage of the various nutrients they offer for your body. Red, green, yellow or orange are some of the colors of the most popular fruits and vegetables and then we tell you about their properties and benefits, according to their color.
Red:
Foods of these colors contain lycopene, which is a powerful antioxidant, so the essential tomatoes for salads and sandwiches, apples, strawberries, blueberries, beets, eggplant, cabbage, grapes, watermelons, and others, are excellent allies to preserve the memory, to prevent cardiovascular diseases, protect against some types of cancer and promote the proper functioning of the urinary tract. Try to incorporate at least one of these fruits or vegetables into your daily diet.
Orange and yellow:
The color of these fruits and vegetables is mainly due to the presence of beta-carotene, an antioxidant that provides many benefits for the eyes and skin. They are also rich in vitamins C and D, so consuming them regularly will help you stay healthy and avoid annoying colds, as well as prevent osteoporosis and malnutrition in children. Fruits like oranges, peaches, pineapples, papayas or grapefruit and vegetables like pumpkins, carrots, and yellow peppers are some options that you can include in your shopping cart the next time you go to the market.
Green:
The color green is synonymous with a healthy life and in social networks, like Instagram, we often see images of people with green shakes, which are very fashionable. Green leafy vegetables such as Swiss chard, artichoke or spinach are rich in vitamin K and folic acid, so important for blood clotting and for the development of the baby in pregnant women.
Dark green vegetables such as broccoli, spinach or kale are beneficial to your bones because of their high calcium intake. They are also high in fiber, which helps regulate digestion, are a good source of antioxidants, and melons, limes, and kiwis are high in vitamin C.
Among them is avocado, rich in monounsaturated fats that can help reduce cholesterol levels. You can use your creativity and prepare salads full of flavor with lettuce, arugula, cabbage, asparagus, kale, broccoli or peppers, or include these vegetables in a variety of stews, and you can consume green apples, pears, melons, kiwis or grapes as snacks or desserts to keep you healthy and fit.
Purple:
Although there are not many purple or blue foods, these are great allies for health. Within these groups are blueberries and blackberries, aborigines, purple onions, red cabbage, grapes or plums.
Among its benefits, these fruits and vegetables provide energy, strengthen the urinary system, improve neuronal function and are anti-inflammatory. They also improve cardiovascular health, activate circulation, increase defenses and protect cells from possible attacks that may lead to the development of tumors or different types of cancer.
White:
Although they do not have pigmentation and lack color, the fruits and vegetables of this group contain many vitamins, nutrients and antioxidants, so they are excellent for our immune system and are great allies of heart health, helping to reduce cholesterol levels. White fruits and vegetables include bananas, garlic, mushrooms, cauliflower, potatoes, bean sprouts, radishes, onions, leeks and ginger. Garlic, onion and cauliflower do not contain starch, so they will not make you fat if you consume them regularly.
If you consume these foods regularly and combine the most colors in your usual diet you will have a healthier diet and enjoy all the benefits and properties that fruits and vegetables can bring to your body. Remember that the World Health Organization recommends consuming “5 a day” (three servings of vegetables and two of fruits) at least.
Do not hesitate to experiment and try new combinations. And remember, how much more color, better!
