When choosing fruits and vegetables, go for those with deep, vibrant hues and pick from a variety of color groups, advises Dr. James Joseph. It's not just about getting vitamins, minerals, and protein anymore, as phytochemicals - plant compounds that give color to produce - are also key players in long-term health.
Joseph is the chief of the Neuroscience Laboratory of the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts and the co-author of "The Color Code," to be published by Hyperion next spring. In his research, he has discovered that to perform at your highest mental capacity, recover from hard workouts, stave off illness, and prevent chronic disease, you've got to get color in your diet - something you don't get from a pill.
Each plant pigment, from the blue in blueberries to the green in spinach, has a different health benefit. These pigments work synergistically to keep the body on track. If you eat only apples, oranges, bananas, and potatoes (typical of Americans), you deprive yourself of the many health-promoting compounds that come from other colors in the spectrum.
For example, anthocyanins, which give blueberries their color, help fight age-related memory loss, according to Tufts research. Other research by the University shows that lutein, a yellow pigment in spinach, may help protect vision.
Many more phytochemicals boost the body's ability to clean up free radicals, and it appears that they may even augment, protect, or regenerate antioxidant vitamins such as vitamin E or C. Every day we experience stress that produces cell-damaging free radicals. Vigorous exercise, smoking, medications, and exposure to air pollutants will all increase the amount of free radicals produced in the body. Luckily, we have physiological systems in place that act as little vacuums that clean up free radicals as they are produced. But, our ability to squelch free radicals is highly dependent on the adequacy (or colorfulness) of our diet.
A typical college student will have a stressful academic load and may endure regular bouts of intense exercise. Top this off with a night out drinking, and there are a lot of free radicals to clean up. Without adequate systems in place, the student becomes more prone to disease in the long-run and may experience sub-optimal health in the short-term.
"What Color is Your Diet," the latest book by Director of U.C.L.A.'s Center for Human Nutrition David Heber, outlines the "Seven Colors of Health' as follows:
RED: Tomatoes and tomato products such as pasta sauce, pink grapefruit, and watermelon contain lycopene, which has been shown to reduce the risk of certain cancers.
RED-PURPLE: Grapes, prunes, blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries contain anthocyanins, powerful antioxidants that improve circulation and may even fight cancer.
ORANGE: Carrots, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, pumpkin, mangoes, and winter squash contain beta-carotene, an antioxidant that may improve cell communication, helping them stop the spread of cancer.
ORANGE-YELLOW: Oranges, tangerines, peaches, pineapples, and nectarines are high in vitamin C, a powerful cell protector.
YELLOW-GREEN: Spinach, kale, green and yellow peppers, green beans, yellow corn, and turnip, mustard, or collard greens contain lutein, which may protect vision.
GREEN: Broccoli, brussels sprouts, and cabbage contain sulforaphane, isothiocyanate, and indoles, all of which have cancer-fighting properties.
WHITE-GREEN: Garlic, onions, chives, leeks, and shallots contain sulfur compounds that protect DNA. Asparagus, pears, mushrooms, and celery contain flavanoids, antioxidants that protect cell membranes.
This list represents only a fraction of the beneficial components of fruits and vegetables. Scientists think that there are several thousand 'phytochemicals' in foods that have yet to be identified and contribute to health in unique ways. Keep in mind that dietary supplements, which do not meet the 'rainbow' criteria, cannot replace the 'real thing.' So, follow the colors of the rainbow, and good health may be at the end.
