Eating 5 colors of fruits and vegetables is another easy way to help your body get complete.
We have all likely been told to “eat your vegetables,” but has anyone ever suggested that you should eat the rainbow? It’s no secret that fruits and vegetables are a very important part of a healthy diet, but does it matter which fruits and vegetables you eat?
Take a look at these photos of different kinds of fruits and vegetables.
What do you notice? You may have wondered where fruits and vegetables get their different colors. Many of these bright colors come from naturally occurring chemicals in plants known as phytochemicals.These are chemicals plants naturally produce, and they play an important role in protecting plants from things like bacteria, viruses, or bugs. But the different compounds also change plant color:
- Lycopenes are phytochemicals that give fruits and vegetables a red color
- Beta-carotene is present in orange foods
- Yellow and green foods contain lutein
- Anthocyanins complete the food rainbow with beautiful blues and purples
Some of these colorful plant chemicals are also important for the health of those who eat them—like us! Once consumed, some phytochemicals function as micronutrients, protecting our cells and keeping our bodies healthy.
Did you notice that the photo ทางเข้า UFABET สำหรับสมาชิกใหม่ สมัครวันนี้ รับโบนัสฟรี above is made up entirely of different colors of tomatoes? Even within one type of fruit or vegetable, the amounts of different phytochemicals can vary. And some phytochemicals that double as micronutrients are not brightly colored at all. Instead, they may give the fruit or vegetable its unique odor, flavor, or another adaptive quality.
In this assignment you will explore the relationship between the various colors of fruits and vegetables, and the nutritional and health benefits they provide. Will it take more than a red apple a day to keep the doctor away?
Now it’s time to dig a little deeper into the micronutrients found in different fruits and vegetables.
Can you connect the colors that you eat with the specific micronutrients that keep your body healthy? Choose six of your favorite fruits and/or vegetables to research online or in your local library. You can use this worksheet or create your own chart to record what you learn. Be sure to include the following information for each of your foods:
- What part of the plant (leaves, fruit, roots, seeds, etc.) is it?
- What color(s) is it?
- What are common nutrients found in this food?
- How much of each nutrient is typically found in a serving of this food
- Is there anything else that you find interesting about its colors, nutrients, and/or the health outcomes of this food?