Depending on the color of fruits, vegetables and greens provide certain benefits, antioxidant compounds and other nutrients good for health. Discover their most important basic differences.
Did you know that depending on the color of the fruits, vegetables and vegetables that you consume, they could guide you about their nutritional composition and the different benefits and properties they provide you? For this reason, today it is very common for many more nutritionists to agree on the importance of eating by color. Or what is the same, choose the foods that we are going to consume based on the colors they have.
We must look for this very interesting quality in the phytochemicals present in both fruits and vegetables, since they are substances that color plant foods and that ultimately make them natural products that are so attractive to the eye. They basically consist of substances that we find in foods of plant origin that, although they are not essential nutrients for our body, do have positive effects on our health.
Purple blue fruits and vegetables
They are plant foods that are especially rich in anthocyanins and other bioflavonoids with antioxidant benefits that are very useful to reduce the negative action of free radicals, which, as you will surely know, are closely related to premature aging and the appearance of certain diseases, such as is the case of heart disease or cancer. They also provide phenolic compounds.
This type of food protects us against cardiovascular and heart diseases, while reducing LDL cholesterol and maintaining good health of our urinary tract.
The main blue-purple fruits and vegetables are: grapes, aubergines, blackberries, blueberries, purple grapes, currants, red plums, red cabbage and figs.
Orange fruits and vegetables
We must differentiate orange fruits and vegetables from those that have a yellow-orange (or yellowish orange) color, since their composition actually tends to vary a bit.
Thus, for example, in the case of orange plant foods, they stand out for their richness in beta-carotene, a highly antioxidant carotenoid substance that helps reduce the action of free radicals, in addition to delaying premature aging, taking care of our respiratory system and prevent the appearance of cancer. They also help reduce the risk of heart disease and vision problems, since our body uses beta-carotene to produce vitamin A.
The main fruits and vegetables of orange color are: oranges themselves, tangerines, carrots, pumpkins, grapefruits, nectarines and melons.
Orange-yellow fruits and vegetables
They are characterized because they are natural foods whose color ranges from light orange to yellow, mainly due to their richness in beta-cryptoxanthin, a carotenoid with antioxidant action.
As with orange fruits and vegetables, they help prevent cardiovascular diseases and reduce the action of free radicals. It also regenerates tissues and prevents cancer and other degenerative diseases.
The main fruits and vegetables of yellow-orange color are: lemons, yellow grapefruits, peaches, pineapples, papayas, persimmons, nectarines, Cantaloupe melon, mangoes, corn and potatoes.
Red fruits and vegetables
They stand out for being foods with a high content of lycopene, a carotenoid whose consumption is essential in men to prevent the appearance of ailments related to the prostate. They also provide anthocyanins, which, as we indicated, are flavonoids with antioxidant action.
Among its most important benefits we can mention its ability to prevent prostate ailments (including prostate cancer), heart disease and increase and strengthen the immune system.
The main red fruits and vegetables are: tomatoes, apples, red grapefruits, blueberries, red grapes, pomegranates, raspberries, beets, radishes, red peppers, red onions, watermelon, red plums and rhubarb.
White fruits and vegetables
This type of plant food is very rich in polyphenols, among which we can mention anthoxanthins, with great antioxidant capacity and action. They also contain allicin and other bioflavonoids.
Among its most important benefits we can mention: maintaining low blood pressure, fighting bacterial infections, preventing the risk of breast or prostate cancer and delaying aging.
The main fruits and vegetables of white color are: garlic, mushrooms, artichokes, cauliflowers, onions, melons, leeks, white pears, bananas and parsnips.
Green fruits and vegetables
They are vegetables and fruits very rich in lutein, is thiocyanates, xeazantine and chlorophyll, which is why they are tremendously rich in carotenoids and other antioxidant compounds.
Among its most important qualities, they stand out above all for reducing the risk of vision problems (for example, loss of sight and cataracts), help to strengthen the immune system and prevent the appearance of cancer. They are also ideal for maintaining a good circulatory system and for preventing osteoporosis.
The main green fruits and vegetables are: limes, avocados, kiwis, green grapes, green apples, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, spinach, artichokes, green asparagus, spinach, broccoli, cabbage, chard, green peppers, Chinese cabbage, parsley, zucchini and celery.
