All the colours -- the bright reds, the luxuriant greens, the vibrant oranges and yellows and the dark blues and purples -- are a delight to the senses and offer a bounty of nutrients. If these colourful fruits and veggies had labels, they would read like the bottles of vitamins and supplements on health-store shelves: fibre, vitamins and minerals galore as well as antioxidants. Since fruits and veggies don't have labels, it is their colours that reveal some of their nutritional rewards. To reap the benefits of this healthy harvest, we need to crack the fruit and veggie colour code.
* Greens: Move beyond iceberg lettuce! Green fruits and veggies, such as avocados, green peppers, celery, kiwi fruits, cucumbers, asparagus, and even green apples, are tasty, nutritious options. Lutein, found in hearty greens such as kale, chard, and romaine lettuce, may help to fend off macular degeneration, a major cause of vision loss and blindness in Canada. Bell peppers, broccoli, and the underrated brussels sprout are all powerful sources of vitamin C. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that may lower cancer risk, improve iron absorption, and promote wound healing.
* Yellow and orange: Orange is more than oranges, and beta-carotene shows up in more than just carrots. Beta-carotene, a nutrient also found in sweet potatoes, mangos, apricots and cantaloupe, has antioxidant properties that help prevent vitamin A deficiency, and may play a role in immune health. Vitamin C abounds in the yellow-orange arcs of the food rainbow, especially in papaya, grapefruit, oranges, pineapple, and cantaloupes. Include lemons and limes too, as fully ripened ones have the highest antioxidant content.
* Red: Seek out the blush of red and pinky-coloured vegetables and fruits for a good source of lycopene. A powerful antioxidant that may help prevent many kinds of cancers, lycopene crops up in tomatoes, watermelon and pink grapefruit. Lycopene may also slow the hardening of arteries and the growth of tumours. The unappreciated beet, with its intense red pigment, has shown promise against colon cancer and is a rich source of folic acid, which is involved in normal tissue growth.
* Blue and purple: Explore the darker realms of the produce section and get the blues, blacks and purples. Think blackberries, figs, plums, prunes, eggplants, and raisins. Low in calories, high in vitamin C and fibre, blueberries have been especially singled out as tiny nutritional powerhouses. Anthocyanin is the pigment responsible for the tint of these fruits and veggies and for their antioxidant qualities. In addition to their cancer-fighting acumen, anthocyanins may also support the vascular system.
* White, brown, and tan: While they're not as showy as the others, fruits and veggies with more subdued white, brown, or tan hues deserve a spot in your shopping cart. Spice things up with ginger, which can boost the immune system, and garlic, known to inhibit cancer growth. Though they are yellow on the outside, bananas' true benefits hide in the sweet, white, fleshy fruit inside. Bananas are high in potassium, a key element of a heart-healthy diet, and they can help your bones by preventing calcium loss. Like bananas, the parsnip has tons of fibre and potassium.
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