No that isn't a typo...I openly admit spelling is not one of my fortes, but I intentionally wrote the title "Rain-bowl" to help you visualize a rainbow in your bowl. In order to get a wide variety of nutrients each day it is important to eat the "rainbow", meaning each each color of the rainbow each day from fruits and veggies - NOT candy! A great way to do this is to have a big salad at one of your meals and you can throw some left over meat, tuna or beans on top. Here is a salad I made last night for myself that had organic mixed greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, red onion (I hit green, red, orange and purple). I topped it off with a little blue cheese, drizzled olive oil, balsamic vinegar and some rare roast beef I bought from the Whole Foods deli (this is not processed meat, but actual roast they cook in the store). It is not OK to skip your fruits and veggies and consume a multivitamin instead. Here are some good reasons why:
- Fruit and vegetables have fiber which keeps thing moving in the digestive tract. This helps to prevent constipation and removes waste and toxins from our bodies. Some fibers can also bind to cholesterol and remove it through the feces.
- In general we absorb most nutrients when they come from food.
- Fiber from fruits and vegetables helps us feel full.
- Phytochemicals (chemicals in plants) are believed to play an important role in health. There are 1000s of compounds in plants and we don't know what they all do, here are some examples of some things we do know:
- Monoterpenes are believed to have anti-cancer properties.The are found in cherries & berries.
- Anthocyanins which are antioxidants that help protect our cells from damage and are found in red/purple foods such as red cabbage, red grapes and strawberries.
- Cartenoids are believed to help reduce the risk of some cancers and heart disease. They are found in yellow/orange foods such as pumpkin, sweet potato and apricots.
- Indoles may also help protect us from cancer and are in cruciferous veggies such as cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower & brussel sprouts.
- Lutein & zeaxanthins help reduce the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration (eye problems). They are found in foods such as oranges and red peppers.
If you would like to learm more about phytochemiclas foollw this link:
Enjoy your fruits & veggies!
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