Color Yourself Healthy – Red Fruits and Vegetables

Did you know that the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend making one-half of your plate fruits and vegetables?

Growing up, we ate a variety of fruits and vegetables harvested from those planted by my father or from a neighbor’s garden. Looking back, I now know that I was eating the best of what I now struggle to eat in adequate portions. I’m glad that, back then, I had no choice in the matter. I either ate what was available or go hungry. Ahhhhh…….. the glorious days of my healthy youth.

Eating a wide variety of different colored fruits and vegetables helps ensure your body gets all of the vitamins and nutrients that will play an important role in your overall health. Red fruits and vegetables get their color from the natural, protective substance called phytonutrients. Two of the key phytonutrients in red fruits and vegetables are lycopene and beta-carotene. Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant and our body converts beta-carotene into vitamin A, which promotes healthy skin and mucus membranes, supports our immune system, eye health, and vision.

Are you getting enough of these red fruits and vegetables?

• Fruits: Red Apples, cherries, cranberries, guava, pink grapefruit, pomegranate, raspberries, strawberries, watermelon
• Vegetables: Beets, Red peppers, radishes, red onions, red potatoes, tomatoes

Everyone has the same basic nutritional needs, unfortunately, most of us are making bad nutritional choices and much of our food is nutritionally dead. The good news is that we can get most of the vitamins and minerals our bodies need daily by choosing more servings of fruits and vegetable and eating a wide variety of them. The World Health Organization recommends that we get at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day and this includes all forms: dried, frozen, fresh, or in 100% juice. A serving size is relatively small so if we can work one of these servings into every meal and snack, we’ll be well on our way!

1. Raw fruit = ½ cup (or serving about the size of a billiard ball)
2. Dried fruit = ½ cup (or about the size of an egg)
3. 100% fruit or vegetable juice = 6 ounces (about the size of a hockey puck)
4. Raw vegetables = 1 cup (a baseball-sized serving)
5. Cooked vegetables = ½ cup

Quiz – Name that Fruit:

• This fruit likes to hang around in bunches. 
• Big and green with stripes outside, but red inside. 
• Yellow on the outside with lots of tiny dimples. 
• Its color is the same as its name. 
• A fuzzy fruit. 
• Named after a brown bird. 
• Red and has seeds on the outside. 

Found value? Feel free to share!!

To Your Success,

Althea

Althea A. McLeish Wilson, RN, MSN

Promoting inner health & outer beauty!

Helping you thrive, not just survive!!

PS. Inner Health & Outer Beauty Store: Health & Wellness with Althea♦

PPS. Did You Find This Helpful? If so, please feel free to share!! Leave a comment or contact me at althea@altheamcleish.com.

Quiz Answers:

1. Grapes  2. Watermelon  3. Lemon  4. Orange  5. Peach  6. Kiwi  7. Strawberry  

References:

1. Fruit and Vegetable Intake – National Institute of Health♦
2. I Love My Veggies! – National Institute of Health♦