Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Body Essentials - Rainbow of Health

"Eat the Rainbow!

Looking to fight disease and improve your health? Pick your produce wisely and choose fruits and veggies from all the colors of the rainbow.

By Jane Schwartz Harrison, RD, Contributing Writer

Ever heard of the “rainbow diet?” It's not an actual diet — it refers to choosing fruits and veggies of every color in the rainbow.
Eating the full rainbow of foods regularly helps give your body the nutrients it needs. In addition to fiber, vitamins and minerals, naturally colored foods contain what are known as phytochemicals. These powerful plant substances are the disease-fighting materials that also give fruits and veggies their array of colors.
Research has shown that eating a variety of these plant substances may work together to:
  • Strengthen your immune system
  • Lower your risk for certain cancers and chronic diseases
  • Help ward off type 2 diabetes
  • Reduce high blood pressure
  • Prevent some eye diseases
  • Maintain urinary tract health
  • Maintain heart health
  • Improve memory
  • Help build strong bones and teeth
Your daily quotaThe goal: Fill half your plate with colorful fruits and veggies at each meal. The number of cups of fruit and veggies you’ll need every day depends on your age, gender, calorie needs and activity level.
Making fruit and veggies the focal point during a meal will help you meet your daily quota! Check out MyPlate.gov for more ideas about how to add fruits and veggies into your meals.
A rainbow of choicesReady to shop the rainbow? The next time you are at the supermarket or local farm stand, try to choose fruits and vegetables from each of these categories:
  • Red: Red apples, cranberries, red grapes, pomegranates, raspberries, strawberries, watermelon, pink or red grapefruit, tomatoes, radishes, radicchio, red peppers, red onions
  • Blue/purple: Raisins, blackberries, blueberries, plums, purple grapes, eggplant, purple cabbage, purple figs
  • White: Bananas, white nectarines, white peaches, garlic, cauliflower, mushrooms, onions, potatoes
  • Green: Green apples, green grapes, kiwi fruit, honeydew melon, kiwi, avocado, broccoli, spinach, okra, artichoke, zucchini, lettuce, celery, asparagus
  • Yellow/orange: Yellow apples, apricots, cantaloupe, oranges, peaches, nectarines, mangoes, grapefruit, pineapple, yellow peppers, pumpkin, sweet corn, yellow tomatoes, lemons, sweet potatoes
Looking for a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? For some, the prize may be measured in pounds. Since fruits and vegetables tend to be filling and low in calories, they can also be a good way to help you reduce or manage your weight."

This is a direct post taken from my healthcare website. I read it and thought it was great. Again, the writer of this post is Jane Schwartz Harrison, RD, Contributing Writer. United Healthcare is great to have and I was able to earn rewards. So yayy to health and living naturally.

My natural is beautiful 2013! MuAh & CiAo!