Eat A Rainbow

     One of the best lessons we can teach children about healthy eating while they are small is to eat a rainbow of colors every day. They can enjoy counting the number of colors that they eat, which is a habit most adults should aspire to. Go ahead and count right now - how many colors did you eat today?
     This pasta salad started with tri-colored pasta, and lots of fresh green herbs. Veggies mixed in included corn, carrots, red and green peppers, and then it was lightly dressed.

A Colorful Pasta Salad

Veggie sticks and yogurt based dip

Pump Up Your Plate With Color

Scientists report that a diet rich in fruits and vegetable can help:

• Lower cholesterol and blood pressure
• Reduce risk of certain types of cancer
• Reduce the risk of birth defects
• Lower risk of developing cataracts
• Improve memory function
• Improve immune function
• Protect cells from damage
• Lose weight and maintain loss

Eat fruits and vegetables from the color spectrum, including:

• Red (colored by lycopene and anthocyanins) Tomatoes, beets, radishes, red potatoes, red peppers, red cabbage watermelon, guava, strawberries, raspberries, pink grapefruit cherries, red apples, red grapes, rhubarb.
• Orange/Yellow (colored by cartenoids like beta carotene) Apricots, cantaloupe, peaches, pineapple, mangoes, pears, yellow apples, papayas, yellow & winter squash, sweet potatoes, carrots, yellow peppers, sweet corn.
• Green (colored by chlorophyll, indoles, lutein, zeaxanthin) Avocado, leafy greens, spinach, artichokes, green beans, cucumbers, peas, Zucchini with skin, broccoli, Bok Choy, green peppers, kiwi, green grapes, Honeydew melon.
• Blue/Purple (colored by anthocyanins) Blueberries, plums, prunes, raisins, purple grapes, eggplant with skin.
• White (colored by anthxanthins) Bananas, cauliflower, garlic, mushrooms, onions, jicima, white potatoes.