Friday, February 22, 2008

Fruits and vegetables for weight loss


Before, the Health Insitute said that we should eat 5 fruits and vegetables a day.Now 7.What you need to remember is that you need fruits and vegetables in your diet.

Fruits and Vegetables are all-stars. Not only are they low in calories and high in fiber, they also contain unique phytochemicals, or antioxidants, that boost your health. It's more than important to eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables every day to reap the health benefits. That's because each color contains different sets of phytochemicals that provide different health benefits.

These are Super Fruits and Vegetables to Add to Your Diet

  • Super Red: Pink grapefruit, red bell peppers, tomatoes, and watermelon

    Lycopene shows promise in fighting lung and prostate cancers. Lycopene is actually more available after cooking or processing so don't ignore canned tomato paste!
  • Super Purple: Concord grapes, blueberries and prunes

    The anthocyanins that give these fruits their distinctive colors may help ward off heart disease by preventing clot formation. They may also help lower risk of cancer.
  • Super Green: Spinach, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, collard greens and bok choy

    Lutein appears to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke as well as guard against age-related macular degeneration. Dark green leafy vegetables are usually high in folate, a B vitamin that shows promising results in preventing heart diseases. In addition, Sulforaphane, a photochemical present in cruciferous vegetables, was found to detoxify cancer-causing chemicals before they do damage the body.
  • Super Orange: Carrots, mangos, pumpkin and oranges

    The beta carotenes in these orange super fruits and vegetables may prevent cancer, particularly of the lung, esophagus and stomach. They may also reduce risk of heart disease and improve immune function.
  • Super White: Cauliflower, mushrooms, banana and onions

    These contain anthoxanthins and allicin, which can help lower blood pressure and protect against stomach cancer.

No comments: