In our latest FREE Bariatric Cookery Newsletter (out very, very soon – subscribe here if you don’t already), Dietitian Nichola urges you to ‘EAT COLOUR’. It’s good advice and following and eating the colours of the rainbow is a great starting point. Not only do the almost infinite number of fruits and vegetables in the spectrum bring nutritional benefits they also ensure the virtues of variety (nature ensures that) so you should never tire of the same old food choice.
Want to know what each colour choice brings, what are their super-powers, some serving suggestions and a few ideas for recipes in the archives to explore? Then read on …
There are few things more appetising than a vibrant plate of colourful fruit and veg – so eat with your eyes as well as your belly. Discover the key players in the fruit and veg aisle and what sort of powers they have to help keep us in good health…
Some fruit and veg can lose nutrients when overcooked so, if possible, eat them raw or lightly steamed
Yummy Mellow Yellow
KEY PLAYERS Bananas, yellow peppers, lemons, pineapples.
POWER The range of nutrients found in yellow fruits and veggies varies but may include vitamin C, and B vitamins such as vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6 and B12. B vitamins can contribute to the metabolism, helping the body to get energy from food.
Relish Ruby Reds
KEY PLAYERS Tomatoes, strawberries, raspberries, cranberries, blood oranges, cherries, pomegranates, red peppers, rhubarb.
POWER Lycopene and anthocyanins are the two main pigments that give fruit and veg its scarlet stain. Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant that helps ‘mop up’ potentially harmful free radicals before they get a chance to damage cells.
Orange Crush
KEY PLAYERS Oranges, mangoes, apricots, carrots, butternut squash, sweet potatoes.
POWER Oranges and mangoes contain vitamin C, for normal collagen formation in the skin and to help keep your immune system functioning normally.
Team Green
KEY PLAYERS Spinach, broccoli, cabbage, kale, avocados, kiwi fruit, asparagus, peas, cucumbers.
POWER Greens get their colour from chlorophyll, an antioxidant. Broccoli contains folate, a B vitamin essential for maternal tissue growth during pregnancy. Kale also contains folate, as well as vitamin A.
Blue Beauties
KEY PLAYERS Blueberries, blackberries, black grapes, plums.
POWER Anthocyanin, which gives blue fruits and vegetables their colour has antioxidant properties that protect cells from damage.
Purple Reign
KEY PLAYERS Red cabbages, beetroot, figs, aubergines.
POWER Dried figs have a high fibre content, beets contain folate and red cabbage has vitamin C, while aubergines are a source of potassium.
