The Color Connection: Paint a Rainbow on Your Plate

Written by Dietitians at Diabetes Control for Life

Your mom — and your diabetes educator — probably gave you this great advice: Eat your fruits and vegetables! “Good for your health,” Mom said. “Critical for weight loss,” said the educator.

This advice is easy enough to follow. Next time you go to the supermarket, check out all those beautiful-looking plant foods in the produce section. Colorful carrots, deep-green kale, beyond-blue blueberries, and cheery-red cherries. Don’t they look, well, good enough to eat?

But the beauty of those blueberries is not just skin deep. Some wise person said, “Pretty is as pretty does,” and in the case of colorful fruits and vegetables, “pretty” does a lot. This is because the rich, deep colors of many fruits and vegetables are signs of healthful nutrients within.

Nutrition experts recommend that all adults get at least five servings a day of a variety of fruits and vegetables for maximum health benefits. But when you’re choosing which ones to buy, think color. Let the reds, purples, oranges, and greens remind you of the healthful nutrients packed into these beautiful fruits and vegetables.

• This article describes the benefits of eating a variety of fruits and vegetables.
• It explains why color can be used as a guide in selecting fruits and vegetables and provides a list of the 10 top choices.
• It offers tips on how to incorporate fruits and vegetables into your diet.

Points to Ponder About Pretty Plant Foods

The list of benefits of eating lots of fruits and vegetables is a long one.

• Fruits and vegetables are high in fiber and water and tend to be lower in calories than many other foods. So a reduced-calorie diet that includes a lot of fruits and vegetables helps dieters decrease overall calorie intake and still feel satisfied and full. This can help them lose weight, maintain their desired weight, and control their diabetes.
• Fruits and vegetables add variety to the diet and color to the dinner plates.
• Fruits and vegetables may decrease people’s risk of developing …
  • Some forms of cancer. More than 200 scientific studies point to the same conclusion: Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables may lower the risk of developing certain cancers.
  • Some forms of cardiovascular disease. Eating 30 to 35 servings of fruits and vegetables each week (about five per day) may decrease the risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
  • High blood pressure
  • Diverticulitis — a sometimes painful condition that develops when small pouches on the sides of the large intestine become inflamed or infected
  • Cataracts and macular degeneration of the eyes

The health benefits of eating fruits and vegetables probably come from the many different compounds called phytochemicals found in them.

Phytochemicals are natural components of plants that give them their color, flavor, smell, and texture. A single serving of vegetables may offer more than 100 different kinds of phytochemicals!

A person who eats a lot of fruits and vegetables will reap health benefits in the form of reduced risk of serious illness because these compounds may help prevent certain kinds of diseases. Some phytochemicals, for instance, act as antioxidants. The box at left explains how antioxidants work to help prevent these diseases. Vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta-carotene are some of the more familiar antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables.

Beta-carotene is just one of more than 600 kinds of carotenoids, which are the pigments that give orange, yellow, and red fruits and vegetables their healthy hue. Beta-carotene and other carotenoids act as antioxidants and immune boosters. By the way, some animals that eat plants containing carotenoids — including salmon and shrimp — are a shade of pink. And remember that pretty pink flamingo at the zoo? Carotenoids!

Top 10 Fantastic Plant Foods

We’ve all heard that “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” But did you know that apples are fat free, saturated-fat free, sodium free, cholesterol free, and an excellent source of fiber? Because of this fiber, the natural sugars in apples are released slowly into the bloodstream, which helps to maintain steady blood sugar levels. Apples are also a rich source of antioxidants and provide boron, a mineral important for bone health.

There’s something special about asparagus, especially in the spring when it’s freshly picked. Maybe it’s because it’s part of the lily family, which also includes chives, garlic, leeks, onions, and shallots. Or maybe it’s because asparagus is packed with nutrients and low in calories (about 25 calories for five spears). These vegetables contain sulfur-containing compounds that may fight cancer. Asparagus also contains folic acid, which promotes healthy red blood cells, vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, the antioxidant glutathione, and rutin, a vitamin that may help strengthen blood vessels. With all these qualities, it’s no wonder tradition says asparagus is good for everyone.

Avocados provide a number of essential vitamins and minerals, including potassium, magnesium, folic acid, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, biotin, pantothenic acid, vitamin E, and vitamin K. Avocados also contain some protein and fat, but the fat is primarily monounsaturated, which is one of the good fats. They also contain two important compounds: beta-sitosterol to lower cholesterol, and glutathione that fights free radicals.

Did you know that blueberries contain one of nature’s strongest antioxidants? The secret lies in the deep midnight-blue skin of the blueberry, which packs most of its nutrients. The deep color is produced by natural dyes that are potent antioxidants that help lower the risk of cancer, arthritis, memory loss, and other effects of aging. Blueberries have almost four grams of fiber per cup, and they also have a good dose of vitamin C. They contain a cancer-protective acid and compounds that help prevent urinary tract infections.

Arthritis is associated with inflammation of the joints. For many years, tart cherry juice has been used as a folk remedy for arthritis, and now we know why. Researchers have discovered that tart cherries contain 17 different beneficial compounds, including a substance that may help tame the inflammation of arthritis, and vitamins C, E, and beta-carotene. Tart cherries also contain chemicals that block the production of a hormone that makes joints hurt. So, have your cherries and put out the “fire.”

Rabbits like carrots for a reason! Carrots are great for eyesight. Carrots are packed with beta-carotene, which is converted in the body to vitamin A as it’s needed. Vitamin A helps the eyes adjust to changes in light and darkness. It’s also important for bone growth, reproductive health, and normal functioning of body cells. A medium carrot provides about 13,500 IU (International Units) of vitamin A and 6,500 micrograms of beta-carotene. Sweet potatoes, peaches, spinach, and broccoli are other good sources of beta-carotene.

Wow! Each grape contains more than 1,000 different flavonoids and two beneficial antioxidants that are important for heart health. Flavonoids help improve the body’s circulatory system, maintain the elasticity of blood vessels, and reduce cell damage.

Papayas have a brilliant orange color that reflects the fact that they are one of the richest sources of vitamin C. Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that bolsters the immune system and helps with wound healing. In addition, vitamin C helps the body form collagen for healthy skin, bones, teeth, and tendons. One-third of a medium-sized papaya provides 100 percent of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C. Other vitamin C-rich foods include cantaloupe, green bell pepper, strawberries, and oranges.

Kale is a member of the crucifer family, which includes many other vegetables such as collard greens and mustard greens. Vegetables in the crucifer family are excellent sources of cancer-preventive phytochemicals. Kale also is an excellent source of lutein, an antioxidant important for healthy eyes and other tissues. A 236 ml serving of cooked and drained kale provides 26.5 milligrams of lutein. Spinach holds second place with 13.3 milligrams of lutein in a 45 g/236 ml serving of cooked and drained spinach. The body doesn’t make lutein, so it’s important to include lutein-rich foods in the diet. Smaller amounts of lutein are found in broccoli, corn, peas, zucchini, tangerines, celery, tomatoes, and oranges.

Tomatoes are a wonderful source of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant in the cell walls of tomatoes that’s known to be important in cancer prevention. Cooking is the best way to free the lycopene. Cooking breaks down the cell walls, while the addition of a little oil helps to dissolve the lycopene and deliver it to body cells. Lycopene is responsible for the rich red color of tomatoes, and it’s also found in pink grapefruit, watermelon, and guava.

Tips on Taking In More Fruits and Vegetables

Without question, fruits and vegetables are important to you, for your health, healthy eating, and control of your diabetes. Here are some ways to add more of these super foods to your nutrition plan.

• Enjoy whole fruits and vegetables every day. You can also drink juice, but whenever possible, use whole fruit instead for the fiber benefit. Juices also usually contain more calories than their whole-food counterparts, so when you choose juice instead of whole fruit, remember to adjust portion sizes or total food intake to allow for the extra calories. To quench your thirst, consider water and zero-calorie beverages. Or dilute juice with water or low-sodium carbonated water so you can still enjoy the flavor of the juice without all the calories.
• Experiment with avocado. Its smooth, creamy texture adds a nice accent in a mixed salad. Try mashing avocados into guacamole, adding them to salsa, using them for toppings, or serving them with soups, salads, and sandwiches. Remember to watch serving sizes, because avocados provide more calories than some other fruits and vegetables due to their fat content.
• Try blueberries and other fruits raw or cooked. They’re delicious either way. Have a serving as a refreshing treat, dessert, or snack.
• Include a few chopped walnuts on top of fruit to add crunch and flavor. Or try making a fruit sauce to serve on top of peaches or nectarines. A blueberry sauce would be great!
• Add fruit to oatmeal for breakfast.
• Steam asparagus. Top with a splash of lemon.
• Sauté kale in a small amount of olive oil and season with a squeeze of lemon. Or steam kale and flavor with a dash of nutmeg and a splash of olive oil.

Assess Your Fruit and Vegetable Savvy

Now, think about fruits and vegetables in your diet.

1. Did you have at least five servings of fruits and vegetables yesterday?
2. If no, think of three ways that you could include more fruits and vegetables in your diet.
3. At the end of the week, check to see if you have included more fruits and vegetables in your diet.

Summary

• Aim for a minimum of five servings of fruits and vegetables each day because they offer a lot of benefits, especially for people on a reduced-calorie diet:
  • Fruits and vegetables are high in fiber and water and generally are low in calories, so they help fill you up and make you feel satisfied without a big calorie investment.
  • They add color and variety to your plate.
  • They contain nutrients such as antioxidants that help protect you from such diseases as certain types of cancers and cardiovascular disease.
• Make the color connection — use a variety of fruits and vegetables with different, deep colors to get the greatest variety of nutrients. The top 10 healthy and “pretty” plant foods are apples, asparagus, avocados, blueberries, cherries, carrots, grapes, papayas, kale, and tomatoes.
• Try different ways to get more fruits and vegetables into your nutrition plan.
  • Eat whole fruits and vegetables every day. Choose whole foods instead of juice when possible to get more fiber and nutrients and fewer calories.
  • Try starting the day with a stewed apple.
  • Experiment with avocado, such as adding chunks to salads.
  • Eat blueberries or other fruits, raw or cooked, as snacks or desserts.
  • Dress up a fruit dessert by topping it with some chopped walnuts or fruit sauce — for instance, blueberry sauce on a baked peach.
  • Add fruit to breakfast oatmeal.
  • Steam asparagus and add a splash of lemon.
  • Sauté kale in a small amount of olive oil and add a splash of lemon.