Eating for the Season…Summer Edition
Would it surprise you that less than 10% of adults in America eat the currently recommended 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily? Maybe it would surprise you further to know that recent research shows that the above recommendation should be closer to 800g or 10 servings per day. How many of the 10% do you think get close to that?
According to research by Dr. Dagfinn Aune in the International Journal of Epidemiology, approximately 7.8 million premature deaths worldwide could be potentially prevented every year if people ate 10 portions, or 800 g, of fruit and vegetables a day.
Did you know that by eating a rainbow of colors of fruits and vegetables you can protect your health against such diseases as cancer, heart disease, diabetes and even poor eyesight? The different colors of fruits and vegetables provide you with powerful antioxidants that can boost your immune system and provide protection.
Red: Red fruits and vegetables contain phytochemicals including lycopene and ellagic acid which have cancer fighting effects. They also have been shown to improve circulation and reduce the risk of heart disease.
Yellow & Orange: These contain vitamin C and carotenoids which improve immune function, reduce the risk of heart disease and promote eye health.
Green: Full of lutein, isothiocyanates, and isoflavones, green fruits and vegetables boost the immune system, slow the rate of cognitive decline, and also are a highly bioavailable source of calcium and vitamin K which are essential for blood and bone health.
Purple & Blue: High in anthocyanins and reservatrol which reduces the risk of cancer and heart disease, purple and blue fruits and vegetables are also filled with phytochemicals that work to repair damage from oxidative stress and inflammation.
White & Brown: These sometimes overlooked colors are high in phytonutrients, anti-cancer compounds, anti-inflammatory & immune boosting nutrients as well as have anti-allergic effects.
So what’s the best way to get in all your servings of vegetables and hit the colors of the rainbow? Try eating for the season! Summer happens to be my personal favorite season as there is simply an abundance of variety this time of year. I find it much easier to diversify my meals and not get stuck eating the same vegetables day in and day out. Even better is that summer is the perfect time to eat locally grown crops fresh from the earth by stopping at roadside farm stands and your local farmer’s market. The following is just a few of the many fruits and vegetables that abound in summer:
blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, cherries, peaches, plums, nectarines, melons, zucchini, summer squash, green beans, sugar snap peas, tomatoes, greens, eggplant, cucumbers, peppers, fresh herbs, beets, carrots, radishes, rhubarb, and many more. And if you notice, there’s a huge variety of color in that list!
For more information on some specific nutrients found in colorful fruits and veggies, check out the following chart from the Food Revolution Network: Color Chart of Nutrients
When you’re Eating for the Season in summer, it’s easy preparation for snacks and meals with raw veggies and salads. With a large salad, you can have all of the colors of the rainbow in one bowl. Dark leafy greens, shredded carrot, diced yellow peppers, shredded red cabbage, cherry tomatoes and a few onion slices and TA-DA…rainbow in a bowl!
Want to cook and looking for a few new recipes to make with your summer bounty? Check out a few of my favorites in my next post, “Eating for the Season…Summer Edition Recipes”