Should you eat 'your colours'?

By eating your colours everyday you will stay fit an healthy.

• Colourful fruits and vegetables contain many of the vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals your body needs to maintain good health and energy.
  
  
• They also protect against the effects of aging and can help reduce the risk of disease like cancer, heart disease and obesity.
  
  
• Many of the phytochemicals and other compounds that make fruits and vegetables such healthy foods also give them their colour.
  
  
• There are many different phytochemicals and compounds associated with the colour, so to ensure you get a wide range of them you need to try and eat fruits and vegetables from each of the colour groups every day.
  
  

Eating 5 to 10 servings of vegetables and fruit per day as part of a healthy diet can help reduce your risk of cancer, heart disease and stroke.


RED

It's important to eat all your colours every day to get the varety of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals that you need to stay healthy and fit. Include RED in your low-fat diet to help maintain:

• A healthy heart
• Memory function
• Lower risk of some cancers
  
  

Health Promoting Benefits

Specific phytochemicals in the red group that are being studied for their health promoting properties include lycopene and anthocyanins. Get a variety of red every day by eating fruits and vegetables such as: Cherries, Red Onions, Chili Peppers, Red Peppers, Radishes, Red Potatoes, Raspberries, Rhubard, Red Apples, Strawberries, Red Cabbage, Tomatoes, Red Grapes, Watermelon, Red Kumara.



PURPLE

Eat all your colours every day to get the variety of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals you need to stay healthy. Include BLUE/PURPLE in your low diet to help maintain:

• Lower risk of some cancers
• Urinary tract health
• Memory function
• Healthy aging
  
  

Healthy Aging

Blue/purple fruits and vegetables contain varying amounts of health-promoting phytochemicals such as anthocyanins and phenolics, currently being studied for their potential antioxidant and anti aging benefits. Get a variety of blue/purple every day with foods such as: Beetroot, Plums, Blackberries, Purple Cabbage, Prunes, Blackcurrants, Eggplants, Raisins, Purple Asparagus, Blueberries, Boysenberries, Purple Grapes, Cranberries, Purple Peppers.


BROWN AND WHITE

Eating a colourful mix of fruits and vegeables daily provides the variety of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals you need to fight disease. Including WHITE in your low-fat diet helps maintain:

• A healthy heart
• Cholesterol levels that are already healthy
• Lower risk of some cancers
  

Health Promoting Phythochemicals

White, tan and brown fruits and vegetables contain varying amounts of phytochemicals of interest to scientists. These include allicin, found in garlic and the onion family. Get all the health benefits of whilte by including a variety of foods such as:Bananas, Onions, Brown Pears, Parsnips, Cauliflower, Potatoes, Dates, White melons, Garlic, White Netarines, Ginger, White Peaches, Mushrooms, Turnips



GREEN

To get the range of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals you need to stay healthy and fit, eat a colourful variety of fruits and vegetables. Include GREEN in your low-fat diet to maintain:

• Vision health
• Lower risk of some cancers
• Strong bones and teeth

Healthy GREENS

Green vegetables contain varying amounts of phytochemicals such as luteins and indoles, which interest researches because of their potential antioxidant, health-promoting benefits. Go green every day with a variety of fruits and vegetables like these: Artichokes, Green Melons, Asparagus, Green Pears, Avocados, Green Pepper, Broccoli, Kiwifruit, Brussels, Sprouts, Leafy Greens, Celery, Leeks, Chinese Cabbage, Lettuce, Cucumbers, Limes, Green Apples, Okra, Green Beans, Peas, Green Cabbage, Spinach, Green Grapes, Zucchini.



ORANGE AND YELLOW

To stay healthy and fit, think colour and variety when you make your fruit and vegetable choices. Including YELLOW/ORANGE in your low-fat diet helps maintain:

• Lower risk of some cancers
• A healthy heart
  
• Vision health
• A healthy immune system

ANTIOXIDANTS

ORANGE/YELLOW fruits and vegetables contain varying amounts of antioxidants such as vitamin C as well as caroteniods and bio flavoniods, two classes of phytochemicals that scientist are studying for their health promoting potential. Every day, include a variety of orange and yellow foods like these: Apricots, Persimmons, Butternut, Squash, Pineapples, Carrots, Pumpkin, Golden kiwifruits, Rock melons, Golden Kumara, Swede, Grapefruit, Sweetcorn, Lemons, Tangelos, Mandarins, Yellow Apples, Mangoes, Yellow Peppers, Nectarines, Yellow Potatoes, Oranges, Yellow Tomatoes, Peaches.