Healthier and longer life by eating your fruit and veggies?
Colourful fruits and vegetables contain phytonutrients: compounds that give plants their rich colours as well as their distinctive tastes and aromas, strengthen a plant’s immune system and protect the plant from threats in their natural environment such as disease and excessive sun.
When humans eat plant foods, phytonutrients protect us from chronic diseases. Phytonutrients have potent anti-cancer and anti-heart disease effects.
Epidemiological research suggests that food patterns that include fruits and vegetables are associated with a reduced risk of many chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, and may be protective against certain types of cancers.
Try to include as many plant-based colours in your meals and snacks as possible. Each colour provides various health benefits and no one colour is superior to another, which is why a balance of all colours is most important.
?Red: seems to protect against prostate cancer as well as heart and lung.
?Orange and yellow: may help prevent heart disease. .
?Green: These foods are rich in cancer-blocking chemicals like sulforaphane, isocyanate, and indoles, which inhibit the action of carcinogens (cancer-causing compounds). .
?Blue and purple: Have powerful antioxidants called anthocyanins believed to delay cellular ageing and help the heart by blocking the formation of blood clots. .
?White and brown: which has anti-tumor properties.
Reach for the rainbow: a total of 4 1/2 cups of colourful fruits and vegetable a day is the goal for a powerful plate.
The greater variety the better.
For further information on how to achieve your health and wellbeing goals contact Melbourne Naturopathy today.