Color Categories of Fruits and Vegetables
Do you know that different color fruits and vegetables would provide different health 
benefits ?
According to Chinese Traditional Medicine theory we should at least try to eat five different colors of fruits and vegetables daily to maintain good health. This is because the Chinese strongly believe that the five different colors, Red, Yellow, Green, Black, White..represent the five different earthly elements namely : Fire, Earth, Wood, Water, and Metal. Also our major internal organs : Heart, Spleen, Liver, Kidney, and the Lung, are also represented by the five earthly elements respectively . Each organ function individually as one, but they work together as a whole ..one for all and all for one. Therefore we take care of one, it would take good care of the rest !
Today most people know that there are many benefits to maintaining a healthy diet. Longer lives, disease prevention and an ideal weight are all results of eating healthy.
But how can you know which foods to buy — let alone which foods to eat? Now it may be easier than ever to decide.
Color is the key. If you know what you want to prevent or improve, there is probably a color associated with what you need.
Fruits and vegetables contain phytochemicals which are packed with vitamins and minerals. They can protect against things like the effects of aging, cancer and heart disease .
Fruits and vegetables are categorized by color. These categories can help alert the healthy consumer of what benefits the fruit or vegetable has in store.
These color categories include red, blue/purple, yellow/orange, white and green.
Those in the white category, such as bananas, garlic, onions and potatoes, help with heart health, lowering cholesterol and reducing the risk of some cancers. Cantaloupes, mangoes and sweet potatoes are all part of the yellow/orange category and help with the eye and heart health. Green grapes, kiwis, broccoli and spinach also help with vision and reducing the risk of cancer.
It is well known that blueberries have the phytochemical anthocyanin which helps reduce age effects.
If you are still unsure of how much of all these fruit and vegetables you need, there is a Web site that can figure it for you.
The site, created by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), can be found at www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov. The site considers your age, gender and activity level to measure how many cups of “fruits and veggies” you need in a day.
The CDC also recognizes the significance of the colors of fruits and vegetables.
“To get a healthy variety, think color. Eating fruits and vegetables of different colors gives your body a wide range of valuable nutrients,” according to the CDC site.
To make the benefits of fruits and vegetables more available — and more appetizing — there are lots of things you can do.
Try to buy different kinds of fruits and vegetables. Buy juices that are 100 percent juice, not juices with high-fructose corn syrup. Try to keep fruit on your counter at home or on your desk at work. You’re more likely to eat it that way.
There are also some treats you can make if a carrot just won’t satisfy your sweet tooth. Smoothies are easy to make and a good way to get children to eat more fruit.
Many dietician also suggested low-fat, plain yogurt and adding your own fruit, such as frozen blueberries.
“Compared with people who consume a diet with only small amounts of fruits and vegetables, those who eat more generous amounts as part of a healthful diet are likely to have reduced risk of chronic diseases, including stroke and perhaps other cardiovascular diseases, and certain cancers,” according to the CDC.
So colours are beautiful not only in our daily physical manifestations but also in our food iespecially in fruits and vegetables.
So add more colours to your life and you will have a healthier life…..
Great article!