The RED Foods

Natural compounds called phytonutrients or phytochemicals, are components of plants that are powerful defenders of health. Studies show that people who eat more plant foods have reduced risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Phytonutrients provide many functions in the plant itself, such as providing protection from pests and environmental stressors, along with imparting color and distinctive tastes and smells. In the human body, phytonutrients stimulate enzymes that help the body get rid of toxins, boost the immune system, improve cardiovascular health, promote healthy estrogen metabolism, and stimulate the death of cancer cells.

Fruits and vegetables are rich sources of phytonutrients, along with whole grains, legumes, herbs, spices, nuts, seeds, and teas. Phytonutrients in food come in all different colors-green, yellow-orange, red, blue-purple, and white. To promote good health, it is important to eat fruits and vegetables of varied color each day. Aiming for one to two of each color per day is a healthy goal to strive for! While darker-colored plants are generally higher in phytonutrients, fruits and veggies from the white family do have potent contributions to make.

Starting with color is the first basic step to make when developing a healthy way of eating for everyone. It is foundational to all food plans within functional medicine, as plants are good medicine for chronic disease prevention and treatment.

Red foods contain phytonutrients that may help reduce the risk for certain cancers, along with helping to protect the brain, heart, liver, and immune system.

 

The Food List: Red Foods

There is a vast selection of red foods for you to choose from on the food list. The red fruits on the list include apples, blood oranges, cranberries, cherries, goji berries, grapes, plums, pomegranate, raspberries, strawberries, watermelon, and rhubarb. Pomegranate is extra special for its ellagic acid, an important component for your liver to get rid of toxins. Strawberries, grapes, and apples contain the compound, fisetin, which has anti-cancer, anti-aging, and anti-inflammatory properties. If you buy dried cranberries, cherries, plums (prunes) or grapes (red raisins), make sure there is minimal or no added sugar.

As mentioned above, watermelon and pink grapefruit are two excellent sources of lycopene (but cooked tomatoes seem to be the best!). When it comes to red vegetables, there are red bell peppers, beets, red onions, red potatoes, radicchio, radishes, sweet red peppers, and tomatoes. This category of foods also presents you with options for red-colored legumes to choose from such as adzuki beans and kidney beans.

Try something you are not as familiar with such as pomegranate, in the form of the seeds from the fruit, or even goji berries, which are perfect for a trail mix. Keeping the skin on red-skinned foods, like apples, onions, and potatoes will provide you with those essential phytonutrients.

 

 

Featured Red Food-Phytonutrients

 

Ways to Get More Red Foods

 

 

∙ Certified Functional Medicine Health and Wellness Coach

∙ Certified Gluten-Free Diet Practitioner

∙ Certified Functional Nutrition Counselor

∙ Certified International Sports Nutritionist

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Silke@SimplifyHolisticNutrition.com

 

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