Did you know that eating healthy is as easy as following the rainbow?
That's right, if you incorporate a rainbow array of colored fruits and vegetables in your diet, then you'll be well on your way to a well-rounded and nutritious diet.
Here are the five colors you need to eat on a regular basis to enhance your health!
As you read through these colorful food options, we will provide guidance on the foods that are best for Stage 1 of Body Ecology (the initial healing stages of Body Ecology) and the foods to add during stage 2 (once your inner ecosystem is healed). For more on Stage 1 and Stage 2 of Body Ecology, read: The Quick and Easy Guide to Improving Your Health on the Body Ecology Diet Part II
YELLOW & ORANGE
The Nutrients:
Yellow and orange fruits and vegetables pack a powerful nutritional punch. They are rich in beta carotene, vitamin A and vitamin C, powerful antioxidants that neutralize the free radicals that roam around your body and damage your cells. Free radicals are thought to be responsible for artherosclerosis and heart disease, cataracts, blood vessel damage, inflammatory diseases and arthritis, asthma and even cancer. 1
Studies even link high consumption of specific carotenoids like beta-cryptoxanthin, which is found in orange and yellow foods, to a lower risk for developing inflammatory arthritis.2
The Foods
Here are some of the yellow and orange foods that you can eat on Stage 1 of the Body Ecology program:
We recommend you wait until your inner ecosystem is well-established and your candidiasis is gone (Stage 2) of the Body Ecology program to add these to your diet:
GREEN
The Nutrients:
Green vegetables are rich in phytochemicals that improve your health and offer plenty of fiber. Cruciferous vegetables specifically, have sulfurous compounds that help your liver detoxify harmful cancer-causing substances, prevent macular degeneration, and protect women from ovarian cancer.3
Other green vegetables and fruits have potassium, which is great for you heart.4
The Foods:
Most greens, including all of the following foods may be eaten on Stage 1 of the Body Ecology program. Keep in mind that green peppers and green fruits (with the exception of limes) are not recommended on Stage 1 of Body Ecology.
" Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale, and collard greens are especially rich in phytonutrients. Be sure to lightly cook your cruciferous vegetables to maximize their nutrient value.
Are you looking for an easy way to get your greens while on the go? Vitality SuperGreen is a whole food that mixes easily with water to give you an amazing spectrum of fermented algae, cereal grasses and cruciferous vegetables in a delicious drink. Try Vitality SuperGreen and boost your vegetable consumption AND your energy at the same time! |
BLUE & PURPLE
The Nutrients:
Blue and purple vegetables and fruits are some of the most nutritious and most overlooked. They are protective against some cancers, and good for urinary tract health and maintaining memory function.5
Many of these blue and purple foods are rich in the phytonutrient anthocyanin, another type of flavonoid that is great for fighting the damage that daily living does to your cells.
The Foods:
Here are some options for blue and purple foods you can eat while on Stage 1 of the Body Ecology program:
When you are ready for Stage 2 of Body Ecology, you may want to try:
RED
The Nutrients:
Red grapes specifically have a powerful antioxidant known as resveratrol, which has anti-inflammatory properties and may help lower your risk for heart disease and cancer.7
Other great nutrients in red fruits and vegetables include lycopene found in watermelon, pink grapefruit and tomatoes. Lycopene is known for fighting prostate cancer and may be one of the reasons the Mediterranean diet is so healthy.
To learn more about lycopene, be sure to read: The Most Potent Natural Ways to Prevent Prostate Cancer to learn how cruciferous vegetables and lycopene work together to fight prostate cancer.
The Foods
Here are some great options for red foods to eat while on Stage 1 of Body Ecology:
These red foods are some good additions to consider once you are ready for Stage 2 of Body Ecology:
WHITE
The Nutrients:
Cauliflower has many of the nutrients of other cruciferous vegetables, but it's the only one that is white. Others on the white list like onions and garlic are considered super foods for their amazing health benefits.
Onions are a great prebiotic; they feed the probiotics (good bacteria and yeast) in your intestines. Onions and garlic are both members of the Allium family. They can lower blood sugar and have amazing anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties.
The Foods:
Eat Your Colors, But Keep It Simple!
Color can add a delightful visual appeal to eating healthy foods. If you or your family are expecting bland, you'll be pleasantly surprised to see how the delicious recipes in The Body Ecology Diet and a colorful plate can entice any appetite.
And remember, when it comes to eating healthy, keep it simple.
Instead of coming up with complex rotation plans, just follow the rainbow. Throughout your week, include fruits and vegetables that are green, red, yellow, orange, white, blue and purple and you'll be getting plenty of vital nutrients that enhance your health.
Eating a healthy diet is as easy as following the rainbow! By consuming vegetables and fruits from 5 color families, you'll be getting a broad range of vitamins, antioxidants and phytochemicals that can enhance your health and protect you from disease.
Sources:
Bell Peppers, WHFoods.org. http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=50
2 Eustice, Carol and Richard, "Beta-cryptoxanthin In Fruits and Vegetables May Cut Arthritis Risk," About.com. http://arthritis.about.com/od/nutrition/a/fruitsvegetable.htm
3 What are the benefits of sulfurous compounds found in cruciferous vegetables? WHFoods.org. http://whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=george&dbid=45
4 Green Fruits & Vegetables, Vickids.tamu.edu.
http://vickids.tamu.edu/nutrition/green.html
5 Go For Color! Dole5ADay.com http://www.dole5aday.com/Grownups/Fun/G_TheresSoMuchToTry.jsp?topmenu=3
6 How Can I Eat to Optimize My Genetic Potential for Good Health? WHFoods.org.
http://whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=faq&dbid=40#faqdiscussion
7 Resveratrol, PBHFoundation.org. http://www.pbhfoundation.org/pulse/research/pic/phytolist/resveratrol.php
8 Onions, WHFoods.org. http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=45