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Whether gifted with an artistic temperament or not, the paint-store color wheels excite the imagination of hopeful home decorators everywhere. Those vibrant shades resonate with pleasant fantasies as you imagine the colors coordinating perfectly within the walls of your home, while breathless compliments from your friends fall sweetly on your ears. Now imagine that palette of colors on your plate, entering sweetly, or in savory fashion, to complement your meal plan. Such is the goal of the Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBHF), Wilmington, DE, a nonprofit organization which, in partnership with the National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, promotes the “5 A Day — For Better Health program.” The program aims to create a healthier America by encouraging consumption of fruits and vegetables to reach an average of five or more servings per day. Working five to nineActually, the USDA Food Guide Pyramid advises consumption of five to nine servings per day, yet Americans fall far short of that goal. Recent research conducted for PBHF by NPD Group, Port Washington, NY, shows the average consumer eats only 3.6 servings per day. In fact, overall per capita consumption of fruits and vegetables has declined 14% since 1990. Recently, PBHF launched a “5 A Day The Color Way” campaign, extolling the virtues of including at least one daily serving from each of five color groups (blue/purple, green, white, yellow/orange and red). Currently, the American plate predominantly features white and red colors, with potatoes and tomatoes the most popular vegetables. Among fruits, orange juice emerges as the clear winner, followed by bananas and apples. According to Elizabeth Pivonka, PBHF president, Ph.D., R.D., “Each fruit and vegetable contains a different complement of vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytochemicals. Thinking about color when choosing fruits and vegetables is the easiest way to think about variety, and eating a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables every day is the best way to get the full range of health-promoting benefits that each fruit and vegetable uniquely has to offer.” Or as David Heber, M.D., Ph.D., author of the book “What Color is Your Diet?” says, “. . . there is a solid foundation of knowledge in nutrition and exciting new breakthroughs in human genetics and disease that tell us loud and clear: Eat a colorful diet.” Interestingly enough, factors contributing to the lack of fruit and vegetable consumption in the American diet coincide with food trends formulators can capitalize upon to capture market share. These include an increased desire for convenience foods, a decline in the number of dishes served per meal, and a decline in the number of ingredients used in at-home meal preparation. At the same time, consumers indicate they would like to include more nutritious, functional foods into their diet. A Prevention Health Focus study conducted in 1999 by the Food Marketing Institute, Washington, D.C., reveals that nine out of 10 shoppers prefer naturally nutritious foods to supplements, while a study conducted in 2000 by Washington, D.C.-based International Food and Information Council Foundation (IFIC) says that 86% of those surveyed are interested in learning more about functional foods. In short, we would like to eat in a more healthful manner yet have someone else prepare the food. Phyting for your bodyA mounting body of scientific evidence details the different phytochemicals found in certain fruits and vegetables that may promote health benefits. Some of these key compounds include antioxidants, such as anthocyanins and phenolics, indoles, allicin, vitamin C, bioflavonoids and carotenoids. Each is associated with various health-promoting properties and each is most commonly associated with a particular “color group.” For example, in the blue/purple group, containing plums, purple grapes, blueberries or eggplant, anthocyanins and phenolics reputedly help stimulate the memory, provide anti-aging properties or fight against certain cancers. Recently published research from Michigan State University, East Lansing, investigated a range of fruits and berries for the level and activity of anthocyanins 1 and 2. These work in a similar manner to ibuprofen, helping the body block signals that cause pain and inflammation, stimulated by COX-1 and COX-2, forms of cyclooxygenase. Researchers discovered that the COX inhibitory activities of cherry anthocyanins were comparable to those of ibuprofen and naproxen at 10 µmol concentrations. In an overall average of the data collected, cherries contained the highest levels of a combination of anthocyanin 1 and 2 at 26.6 mg per 100 grams of fruit, compared to 24 mg for raspberries. Fresh blackberries and strawberries contained only anthocyanin 2 at a total level of 22.5 mg and 18.2 mg per 100 grams, respectively. Watermelon contains a high level of lycopene. According to the National Watermelon Promotion Board, Orlando, FL, just 2 cups provides 18.16 mg of lycopene, while one medium-sized tomato contains 4 mg. Apricots are an excellent source of beta-carotene (a vitamin A precursor), and supply vitamin C, iron, potassium and fiber.
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The Color of Health
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