Made in Kitchen Blog

When we look at food, we see one main thing, color. The color of our food can tell us a few things about it and signals to our brains what sort of taste it may have, edibility, or even how healthy it is for us. This can help us choose the healthiest foods for our bodies as well as what kind of benefits they have for us based on the color of said food!

Red foods such as tomatoes, cherries, red cabbage, watermelon and red beans usually contain high amounts of lycopene, the carotenoid which has been thought to help prevent some cancers and heart disease.  They also contain anthocyanins which are antioxidants that can protect us from cell damage.

Foods that are orange such as the fruit, cantaloupe, peaches, pumpkins, carrots and sweet potatoes (yams) have carotenoids and high amounts of beta-carotene in particular. Cartenoids help repair DNA, prevent cancers and hear disease. They also help keep our skin and eyes healthy and protects us from infections by boosting our immune system.

When eating yellow foods such as pineapples, lemons, rutabagas, and corn, you’ll be giving yourself a high dose of antioxidants and vitamin C. Vitamin C helps to keep our dental health good as well as helping us heal cuts, improves circulation, prevents inflammation and prevents heart disease.

Avocados, green apples, broccoli, lettuce, kiwi and limes are a few among the wealthy bounty of green foods that keep us healthy. They have a lot of vitamins C, E, and B, beta-carotene and lutein which help reduce the risk of colon cancer, cataracts. Many of them also contain high amounts of fiber, calcium and lutien. Green foods can help reduce cancer risks, lower blood pressure and bad cholesterol levels too.

Blue is the least appetizing of all food as it doesn’t appear in nature in food form very often except in things like blueberries. These also cross over into purple foods like eggplant, plums, grapes and blackberries. These foods have a pigment in them called anthocyanins which is a powerful antioxidant that protects cells from damage, reduce risk of cancers, stroke and heart disease. Also remember that dark blue and purple foods are thought to help with the signs of aging by improving memory function, skin health, and reducing damage caused by free radicals in the body.

Foods that are white include garlic, ginger, mushrooms, onions, potatoes and cauliflower. These foods are thought to help lower cholesterol and blood pressure. It’s also thought they may reduce the risk of stomach cancer. When looking at the other white foods such as dairy foods like cheese, yogurt and milk as well as fish there are usually good amounts of calcium and protein as well as vitamin D and A which help to absorb the calcium.

Black foods are thought to possibly have more health benefits than some of the other foods listed. Black beans, black mushrooms and squid ink are all black foods that are thought to reduce cholesterol and lower high blood pressure. Black beans also contain a high amount of fiber and have been shown to keep blood sugar from raising.

It’s suggested that you eat a rainbow of color every day to keep yourself healthy. Also remember that the more vibrant or deeper the color the more nutrients are in your foods to keep your body going!

Photo by kudumomo

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