Color your diet today for a healthy tomorrow – I (health)

November 30, 2007

A colorful diet consisting of colorful fruits and vegetables provide for an array of color pigments, vitamins, minerals and phytochemical that our body needs to maintain good health and energy levels, and prevent occurrence of diseases. So what is the color that you should have in your diet?Red signifies colored pigments like anthocyanins, lycopene and betacyanins which are good antioxidant. These antioxidants help in neutralizing free radicals that can cause sever damage to cells. Sources of fruit include strawberries, raspberries, cherries, cranberries, pomegranate, red grapes, plums, zizyphus, tomatoes and red guava. Sources of vegetables are carrot, beetroot, tomatoes, red peppers, and red radish.

The blue / purple denote the presence of anthocyanin observed in brinjal, purple, grapes, plums, and blue berries.

Medically, from the health point of view, anthocyanins are celebrated for their anti inflammatory properties. They offer a protective environment within the body, keeping cancers away from you and keeping the internal layers of blood vessels healthy thereby preventing progression of heart disorders. Most of these fruits can also be used for juices which further enhance the color pigment availability.

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