Do Fruits protect your brain?
March 9th 2011 10:07
Perhaps you’ve noticed that my monthly nutrition article did not come out on time this month. Well, that would be my fault. I’ve had too many things crowding my brain lately and just plain forgot.
“Eat Right with Color” is the theme this year. It brings to mind all of the awesome hues of the rainbow are out there in nature, waiting to be of benefit to us. Gorgeous greens, ravishing reds, tasty oranges, tantalizing yellows, punky purples and even whites and browns are all there for the taking. It’s amazing that the very things that give fruits and vegetables color are the very things that are potently powerful in keeping conditions like cancer and heart disease at bay. Artificial colors can’t do this.
I like to think of my plate as a coloring book. I can’t help it — I have a four-year-old who scribbles on anything not nailed down. But it’s a good point to keep in mind: color your plate, guarantee a variety of produce and health-promoting effects. Which plate would look more appetizing? Chicken breast with mashed potatoes and white bread, or chicken breast with baked sweet potatoes, green beans and fresh strawberries for dessert? See where I’m going here?
Eating a meal is a feast for the eyes as well as the mouth. Treat all of your senses to a palette of treats. The red in tomato boosts vision and protects against cancer. The white in cauliflower and green in spinach also fight cancer risks. The orange in a sweet potato or carrot guard visual health. The purple and blue in grapes and blueberries aid in heart health and cancer protection as well. Most of these colors are themselves antioxidants. You’ve heard of these: they help absorb or block free radicals (cell damaging compounds in the body). When normal cells stay healthy, that’s a good thing.
Next time you’re in the grocery store, let your eyes do the shopping. Check out the orange nectarines, purple grapes (or cabbage), red tomatoes, green “leafies,” yellow corn and white onions or cauliflower.
Make it a goal this year (or even just this month) to have at least 3 colors at each meal. Fake colors (like popsicles, candy, and colored frosting) don’t count. Natural colors are where it’s at. Then when summer rolls around, and the colors really start popping, try something new. Maybe write it down on a list so you won’t forget it … or stock up on those blueberries. I think I will.
Annette Snyder is a registered dietitian who works in Clarion.
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