Since we are what we eat, it makes sense to eat healthy and healthful food to keep our bodies healthy. Some people think of food as just things to fill up one’s growling stomach and they are.
But, they are also so much more: healthful foods are medicine to enable our cells to repair themselves; they are protection that enhances our bodies’ defence system; and they are enhancers to help us live to a ripe old age.
You have probably heard this over and over, from your mom, your grandma, your teachers and even from the news: fruits and vegetables, whole grains and nuts are good for your health.
So we start with that basic premise. A healthful diet is one that is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and nuts.
The problem is, there are so many fruits and vegetables, whole grains and nuts out there, which ones are the most nutritionally dense that are worth eating?
If you are like most of us, eating fruits and vegetables is more of a chore than a pleasure. So you would like to eat fruits and vegetables that are packed full of nutrition that help us get the most out of eating fruits and vegetables.
The ideal is to eat a variety or a smorgasbord of fruits and vegetables in season. Ideally as well, we have to eat at least five servings of fruit and vegetables in a day.
It has been promoted that a healthy plate is supposed to be divided into quarters:
- 1/4 of the plate is for lean meat, fowl or fish
- A second 1/4 for whole grains and nuts
- 1/4 for fruit
- 1/4 for vegetables
That is how your plate should be at every meal.
Most of us don’t have the time, the patience or the budget for this. So one rule of thumb to remember: the more colorful a fruit or vegetable is, the more nutrients it contains.
The Food Rainbow
Red
Tomatoes are rich in Vitamin C. They are also rich in lycopene which helps protect us against hypertension and heart disease.
Apples are also rich in Vitamin C and antioxidants that help the body fight against infection. Apples are also rich in potassium which we need to help fight heart disease. Berries are rich in Vitamin C and antioxidants that help our bodies produce collagen which help in keeping our skin supple and elastic.
Surprisingly, watermelons are not only rich in Vitamin C, its juice is alkali and so full of electrolytes that keep up your energy and hydration levels. Peppers and chilies have capsaicin which helps us fight off the cold virus.
Green
Deep green leafy vegetables such as spinach are full of nutrients that help fight cancer and lower the risk of heart attacks. Broccoli is rich in antioxidants that have been noted to reduce the risk for heart attacks and strokes because it helps lessen the tendencies for the blood to thicken and to clot.
So, between iceberg lettuce and romaine lettuce, which should you choose? If you let your palate decide, you will probably opt for the iceberg lettuce because it doesn’t taste as bitter. In fact, it doesn’t taste like much of anything. So, you should probably choose romaine lettuce instead. Since it has a deeper green colour, it will probably contain more phytonutrients.
Avocados are green on the inside. They are high in fat but it is the good kind of fat that raises your good cholesterol levels and lowers your bad cholesterol levels.
So, if you want to make a dip, instead of using mayonnaise, try blending avocado and add tomatoes and onions for a salsa or for dressing for your vegetable sticks.
Orange
This is a no brainer. Oranges are good for you, so are grapefruits because of their high Vitamin C content. Our bodies do not store Vitamin C so we have to eat a lot of food that gives us Vitamin C.
Surprisingly, sweet potatoes are also orange and they are a good source of complex carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates are a bit more difficult for our bodies to process into sugar as fuel for our daily activities – this means that your body will use up calories in order to process the carbohydrates in sweet potatoes and turn it into sugar.
Just like sweet potatoes, the humble squash or pumpkin is also rich in potassium and Vitamin A just like the orange vegetable, carrots. Vitamin A deficiency contributes to blindness and cataracts. Carrots and sweet potatoes are also rich in carotenoids that help fight cancer.
Yellow
Bananas are rich in potassium to keep your muscles healthy and strong. It contains natural sugar but no cholesterol. It is a complex carbohydrate that the body does not burn off too fast so it keeps up energy levels for far longer than most refined sugar snacks.
Lemons are rich in Vitamin C and are good for digestion. They are alkaline when it is in the stomach and it helps burn off fat. Use them liberally as dressing for your salads, juices and smoothies.
Purple
Blueberries and sugar beets are rich in phytonutrients and antioxidants that help our cells regenerate and repair themselves. They are said to help in repair of cells.
Lastly, spices and seasonings such as onions, garlic and ginger have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that make them a good source of protection from infection.
