Healthy Cooking With Color

 When it comes to cooking in our society, people have become very lazy! We have pre-packaged convenience foods from biscuits & pizza dough to complete meals in the form of TV dinners (now called frozen meals for those who are too young to remember the dinners that came in tin pans and had to be cooked in the oven).  We also have fast food from hamburgers & fried chicken to Chinese & Mexican foods.

These convenience and fast foods have brought havoc on our health. Our society now faces epidemics of obesity and diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and cancer. It is time that we make a change for our health and especially the health of our younger generation. We can make this change by resisting the urge to be lazy and start cooking healthier.

To get the best health benefits from our food we should eat more nature made whole foods like fruits and vegetables of a variety of different colors. Each of the different colors of fruits and vegetables contain unique health benefits.

Green foods contain:

• beta carotene, lutein chlorophyll, folate, zeoxanthin, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, B vitamins, fiber, folic acid and Indoles.

Benefits:

• These components can prevent cancer, lower blood pressure and LDL cholesterol levels. They help with retinal health and vision while fighting free radicals and boosting immune system. The folic acid in greens is very important for pregnant women because it helps prevent birth defects. Indoles helps detoxify tissues and encourages hormone balance. It also helps in preventing breast cancer. *You can get nine times the recommend amount of vitamin K in just a cup of cooked greens. Vitamin K alone helps regulate blood clotting, protects bones from osteoporosis, may prevent and reduce atherosclerosis by reducing calcium in arterial plaques, may be a key regulator of inflammation and protect from inflammatory diseases such as arthritis and helps prevent diabetes.

Examples of Green Foods:

• artichokes, arugula, asparagus, avocados, broccoflower, broccoli, broccoli rabe, brussels sprouts, celery, chayote squash, chinese cabbage, cucumbers, endive, green apples, green beans, green cabbage, green grapes, green onion, green pears, green pepper, honeydew, kiwifruit, leafy greens, leeks, lettuce, limes, okra, peas, snow peas, spinach, sugar snap peas, watercress, zucchini

Red Foods Contain:

• phyotochemicals, lycopene, anthoyanins, iron, potassium.

Benefits:

• These components help prevent prostrate cancer, cardiovascular disease and aging. It boosts the immune system and aids in keeping memory sharp. The anthoyanins in red foods reduces heart disease, blood pressure and diabetes.

Example of Red Foods:

• beets, blood oranges, cherries, cranberries, guava, papaya, pink grapefruit, pink/red grapefruit, pomegranates, radicchio, radishes, raspberries, red apples, red bell peppers, red chili pepper, red grapes, red onions, red pears, red peppers, red potatoes, rhubarb, strawberries, tomatoes, watermelon

Orange Foods Contain:

• beta carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C

Benefits:

• Orange foods protects against heart and cardiovascular disease. Helps strengthen vision as well as night vision. Delays cognitive aging, protects skin from sun damage and rebuilds collagen in the skin. It also boosts immune system and provides fiber for the digestive system.

 Example of Orange Foods:

• apricots, butternut squash, cantaloupe, carrots, mangos, peaches, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, oranges, tangerines

Yellow Foods Contain:

• carotenoids, bioflavonoids, antioxidents, Vitamin C and genistein.

Benefits:

• Yellow foods support heart health, good vision and a strong immune system. It helps maintain healthy skin and strong bones. Experiments have shown that genistein in yellow foods have reduced leukemia in mice.

 Example of Yellow Foods:

• Golden kiwifruit, lemons, pineapples, rutabagas, sweet corn, yellow apples, yellow beets, yellow figs, yellow pears, yellow peppers, yellow potatoes, yellow summer squash, yellow tomatoes, yellow watermelon, yellow winter squash

Blue and Purple Foods Contain:

• anthocyanins, phenolics, antioxidents, flavonoids

Benefits:

• Reduces inflammation in joints as well as premature again. Helps fight cancer, heart disease and improves kidney health.

 Examples of Blue and Purple Foods:

• black currants, black salsify, blackberries, blueberries, dried plums, eggplant, elderberries, grapes, plums, pomegranates, prunes, purple belgian endive, purple potatoes, purple asparagus, purple cabbage, purple carrots, purple figs, purple grapes, purple peppers, raisins

White and Black Foods Contain:

• allicin, selenium, polysaccharides

Benefits:

• Purifies lungs, lowers blood pressure, reduces cholesterol and clams emotions. It also helps with the immune systems, kidneys and inhibits growth of tumors.

Examples of Black and White Foods:

• Bananas, brown pears, cauliflower, dates, garlic, ginger, jerusalem artichoke, jicama, kohlrabi, mushrooms, onions, parsnips potatoes, shallots turnips, white corn, white nectarines, white peaches, black licorice, black mushrooms, black beans, dark chocolate

As you can see, colorful foods are GOOD for you! By getting creative, you can add more colors into your cooking. Start by:

1. Make a plan. Make a list of fruits and vegetables that you like and those you are willing to try. Include those that are in-season and those that you can buy frozen. Make a plan to start a garden including those vegetables and learn how to can and freeze what you can. http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/21210/the_perfect_way_to_freeze_fresh_vegetables.html
2. Make out a menu that includes those fruits and vegetables that you purchased or grew.
3. Find recipes that include as many colors as you can.
4. Be creative. For example, when scrambling eggs for breakfast add a handful of fresh spinach leaves and chopped red or yellow bell peppers. For lunch add greens and slices of tomato to sandwiches. Instead of chips or fries, have fresh veggies cut up in snack bags ready to go with your favorite dip. For dinners, stir fry's add many different colors. Make up your meat for your traditional meat loaf. Instead of a loaf, put it in hollowed out bell peppers (the color of your choice). Have cut up fresh fruit for those with a sweet tooth.
5. Be willing to try new foods in different ways. Help children develop a love for foods of a variety of colors.