I love
color! Whether I am in the city or the beach, I am in awe of the early morning sky
when the yellow sun rises, to the bright blue in the afternoon, and the orange
and pink sunset as dusk begins to set. The vibrancy of it all is breathtaking!
Eating in
color is important to our health as the colors in fruits and vegetables contain
a huge range of different health promoting nutrients. Did you know that the
actual nutrients a fruit or vegetable contains makes them their specific color?
Fruits and
vegetables are good for us and even better when the whole range of colors are
eaten regularly to benefit from their many healing phytonutrients.
Yellow
symbolizes wisdom. It means joy and happiness! Like the energy of a bright
sunny day, yellow brings clarity and awareness. When you seek out and consume
yellow-colored foods, you nourish your body, mind and soul with many of Mother
Nature’s health benefits. Yellow fruits and vegetables are
teeming with carotenoids and bioflavonoids, which represent a class of water
soluble plant pigments that function as antioxidants. Along with antioxidants,
sunny-colored foods also have an abundance of vitamin C. Studies suggest that
these bountiful nutrients will help your heart, vision, digestion and immune
system. Other benefits of naturally yellow foods include maintenance of healthy
skin, wound healing, and stronger bones and teeth. Yellow fruits and vegetables
include the following: lemons, plantains, pineapple, star fruit, yellow winter
and summer squash, squash blossoms, yellow peppers, corn, quince and bananas.
The best-known nutrient in orange foods is beta carotene, a powerful antioxidant which gives sunny fruits and vegetables their brilliant color. Experts say beta carotene is not only good for eye health it can also delay cognitive aging and protect skin from sun damage.
Beta carotene is a precursor for vitamin A, which is commonly referred to as retinal, retinol and retonoic acid. Vitamin A is important for night vision, as an antioxidant can neutralize the damaging free radicals in the body, and is crucial in the health of your immune system.
Orange foods are chockfull of vitamin C, an antioxidant which boosts the immune system, protects against cardiovascular disease and helps rebuild collagen in the skin.
Get your fill of orange fruits, including cantaloupe, peaches, oranges, guava, papaya, persimmons, kumquat and mangoes.
Flavorful and warmly-colored orange vegetables include pumpkin, sweet potato and winter squash.
Red symbolizes passion and love. It has a strong symbolism of life and vitality. Red foods consist of everything from fruits, including watermelon, strawberries, cherries, raspberries, apples; and vegetables like tomatoes, red peppers, red onions, and red cabbage. These colorful and tasty foods are gifts from nature. They offer many health benefits because they have some of the following nutrients; lycopene, ellagic acid, quercetin, hesperidin, fiber, Vitamin A and Vitamin C.
Green is the color of nature, fertility, life. Green symbolizes self-respect and well being. Green is the color of balance. It also means learning, growth and harmony. Green contains the powerful energies of nature, growth, desire to expand or increase. Balance and a sense of order are found in the color green. Vegetables such as kale, spinach, and broccoli are high in lutein, which keeps your vision sharp and clear.
The
color white is actually not a color, but the manifestation of the presence of
all color. White is the color of purity and kindness. It stands for wholeness
and completion. It represents openness and truth. It is the choice for new
beginnings. Don't discount the absence of color to mean foods like cauliflower have
nothing to offer nutritionally. Like its cruciferous cousin broccoli,
cauliflower has cancer-fighting properties. Potatoes are a good source of
vitamin C and potassium — just make sure to eat the brown skin for its
fiber content. There's also some evidence that the sulfur compounds in garlic
and onions may ward off stomach and colon cancers. Other white foods, like
poached chicken, seafood, reduced-fat cheeses, eggs, and tofu, provide
all-important protein.
Blue
is the coolest color - the color of the sky, ocean, sleep, twilight. A pure
blue is the color of inspiration, sincerity and spirituality. Dark blue is the
color of truth and moderation. Purple is the color of good judgment. It is the
color of people seeking spiritual fulfillment. It is said if you surround
yourself with purple you will have peace of mind. Purple is a good color to use
in meditation. Blueberries and blackberries are chock full of anthocyanins,
which along with creating the dark hues of these berries also helps maintain
flexible bloods vessels and may suppress tumor growth. Go even darker and try
some black rice, which is loaded with the antioxidant.
So,
what’s your favorite color to eat?
Here’s
a healthy recipe that happens to use 3 different colors (purple, red, and
white!):
Heirloom Tomato and Eggplant Stacks
1.
Combine goat cheese, basil, and
thyme. Set aside. Prepare grill.
2.
Cut eggplant crosswise into 1/2-
inch-thick slices. Place in a colander and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt;
toss to mix. Let stand 10 minutes. Rinse and pat dry. Brush slices with 1
teaspoon oil and grill for 4 minutes; turn over and continue grilling for 4 to
5 minutes, or until tender.
3.
Combine remaining 2 teaspoons oil,
vinegar, and mustard, and whisk to blend. Stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt
and pepper.
4.
To assemble stacks, place 1 eggplant
slice on a plate. Top with an eighth of the cheese mixture and a slice of
tomato. Drizzle with 1/2 teaspoon vinaigrette. Add another slice of eggplant,
cheese, tomato, and a final slice of eggplant; top with 1 teaspoon vinaigrette.
Let stand 5 minutes to allow cheese to melt.
Enjoy!
