Ever Wondered From Where Fruits And Veggies Get Their Stunning Colors?
May 21, 2020How do fruits and vegetables create all that color? We tend to differentiate fruits at first glance a lot based on their Colors.
The Apple is red, the Orange is, well orange, and vegetables are mostly different shades of green with a few exceptions.
But have you wondered why they have those colors, why is aubergine purple or why are some varieties of Bell pepper yellow.
Well, the answer is nutrients. Nutrients present in the fruit and vegetables give them their natural color. It allows us to know what is needed.
When people eat just whole white food, they miss out on the various other nutrients that their body needs. And no, multi-vitamin is not the answer to this deficiency.
To let our body, know what nutrients are we ingesting, fruits and vegetables are in color-coded schemes.
Red:
Fruits like Apples, strawberries, Red Bell-pepper, etc. also contain anthocyanin and an additional phytonutrient called Lycopene. Lycopene help lower your risk for cancer and heart disease. Strawberries, beets, and kidney beans are good sources of folic acid.
The beans are also packed with fiber, protein, and iron. Cranberries, strawberries, raspberries, red or pink grapefruit, and red bell peppers all are loaded with vitamin C.
Red bell peppers are also an excellent source of vitamin A, which is necessary for eye and skin health.
Green:
Compound called chlorophyll gives green fruits and vegetables this color. Some of these fruits and vegetables also contain indoles, which lower the risk for cancer also reduces problems with our vision.
Some common nutrients in many of these fruits and vegetables include vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, and folate.
Blue and Purple:
Fruits and vegetables which come in hues of blue and purple like Eggplant, Blue-berries, Plums, etc. have phytonutrients known as anthocyanin.
Anthocyanin has antioxidants properties and helps lower the chances of heart disease, stroke, cancer, macular degeneration, and memory problems. Anthocyanin is also present in Red-colored fruits and vegetables.
They also contain various other vitamins and nutrients which are also beneficial to our body immune system.
White:
White-colored vegetables like Onions, Potatoes, Bananas, Cauliflowers, etc. have various nutrients in them. Cauliflower is a rich source of vitamin C, while Potatoes and bananas are a rich source of potassium.
Mushrooms are a rich source of riboflavin (vitamin B2) and niacin. These fruits and vegetables get their color from polyphenol compounds with antioxidant properties. Consuming more white fruits and vegetables helps reduces the chances of colorectal cancer.
Yellow and Orange:
Fruits and vegetables of orange and yellow color has a compound called carotenoids in their plants. Carotenoids help improve immune function and lowers risk for heart disease, vision difficulties, and cancer.
Beta-carotene is a carotenoid which our body uses to create vitamin A. orange and yellow fruits and vegetables are a rich source of folate, potassium, Bromium, and vitamin C.