By Melissa Corkhill
08th January 2009
Red:
Which foods: Tomatoes, sweet peppers, strawberries, raspberries, watermelon, redcurrants, grapes, cherries, red onions, apples, radishes, rhubarb
What benefits: Good sources of vitamins C and E, beta carotene and numerous phytochemicals, including lycopene, which can help to protect against heart disease and certain cancers.
*Orange:
Which foods:* Sweet peppers, carrots, pumpkin, swede, oranges, clementines, tangerines, mandarins, melon, nectarines, peaches, squash, mango, papaya, apricots, guava, lentils
What benefits: Flavanoids provide the orange pigment in citrus fruit. These aid the absorption of vitamin C. Pumpkin and squash are excellent sources of betacarotene. Lentils are a good source of iron, zinc, folate, manganese, selenium, phosphorous and some B vitamins.
**Yellow:
Which food:* Bananas, sweet peppers, courgettes, pineapple, melon, plums, bean sprouts, marrow, sweetcorn, grapefruit, chickpeas and soya beans
What benefits: Carotenoids cause the yellow pigments found in most of the above foods. These are thought to act with other cartenoids found in red and orange food to help protect against heart disease and cancer. Bananas provide plentiful amounts of potassium and also aid the digestive system.
Green:
Which foods:* Broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, sweet peppers, peas, courgettes, apples, pears, kiwi fruit, avocado, spinach, salad leaves, grapes, gooseberries, alfalfa, asparagus, flageolet beans, broad beans.
What benefits: Broccoli is rich in phytochemicals that boost the immune system and protect against cancer. Brussels sprouts and cabbage have similar properties. Kiwi fruit provide more Vitamin C than oranges whilst apples contain pectin, a soluble fibre that rids the body of toxins. Avocadoes offer the perfect balance of carbohydrate, protein and good fats.
*Purple
Which foods:* Blueberries, blackcurrants, blackberries, aubergines, figs, beetroot, red cabbage, plums, grapes and black beans
What benefits: Black beans contain folic acid, which helps to make red blood cells, and are rich in immune boosting zinc and iron. Purple fruit and veg contain good amounts of vitamin C and are rich in phytochemcials including bioflavonoid. Blackberries have a cleansing effect on the body, helping in the detoxification process.
Contributed by Nicola Graimes, author of Gimme Five. Born in London in 1962, Nicola has been an editor, journalist and author for the past 20 years and has written numerous books based on health, nutrition, organic food and children’s diets. She is married with two young children and lives in Brighton, Sussex, England.
