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Why is it important to eat different-coloured fruits and vegetables?

An increasing body of scientific research suggests that various compounds such as antioxidants, flavonoids, etc. may play an important part in your body's ability to withstand the various potentially harmful effects of our modern lifestyle.  In particular the risk of contracting many of the so called 'lifestyle diseases' - cardiovascular problems, diabetes and cancer - appears to diminish notably with the regular intake of these compounds.  In some cases studies have shown that your body may also be better able to cope with pre-existing diseases with the help of these compounds.  Your immune system is also likely to work better with a good supply of these compounds, which may have an impact on your overall health and well-being.

In a food context this means that you should try to eat as wide a variety as possible of different coloured foods (fruit and vegetables, that is – eating pink frankfurters with yellow mustard doesn't count!).  The reason for this is that different colours contain different compounds with different beneficial effects.  Ensuring that you eat as many colours as possible on a regular basis maximises your chances of getting sufficient quantities of these compounds, which in turn can help reduce the risk of different illnesses.

Consequently, various scientific and health-related organisations such as The Stroke Association now endorse the idea of eating different coloured foods for health benefits:  http://www.stroke.org.uk/media_centre/press_releases/eat_a_rainbow_.html

Even some commercial organisations are now - well over two years after we started our campaign... - recommending eating as many colours as possible in your five-a-day; see for example the Co-op group's campaign at http://www.co-operative.coop/food/Good-With-Food-Roadshow/5-A-DAY/

At its simplest you can simply divide foods into the main colour groups, and try to ensure that you eat at least one portion every day from each group.  (This is exactly what our ingenious tracking chart is designed for!)  It is true that some foods don't fall neatly into any one group (for example, blackcurrants are neither red nor purple, but somewhere in between) while some may fall into two or more (different parts of avocado can be dark green, light green or yellow), but the point isn't to split hairs about where to draw the line between yellow and orange – the point is to include as many different colours as possible in your daily diet, and not to rely for your intake of a particular colour group on only one food to the exclusion of others.  For simple everyday use this approach certainly more than serves the purpose.

Below are listed the main colour groups with examples of fruits and vegetables in each, and how consuming them can help you.  (For certain berries, many of which are particularly valuable 'superfoods', there is also a link to a page with further information.)

RED

Red fruits and vegetables contain compounds such as Lycopene which helps reduce the risk of several cancers (especially of the prostate) and Anthocyanin which guards against heart and lung diseases and various types of cell damage.

Examples of foods in this group are:

Vegetables: Beetroots Red cabbage Red bell peppers Red onions Radishes Tomatoes

Fruits and berries: Blood oranges Cherries Cranberries Lingonberries / cowberries Pink / red grapefruits Pomegranates Raspberries Redcurrants Red grapes Strawberries Watermelon

ORANGE / YELLOW

Orange and yellow fruits and vegetables contain major phytonutrients including Alpha and Beta Carotene and Beta Cryptothanxin with a range of beneficial effects, including protecting the skin from free-radical damage, repairing DNA, and promoting eye health.

Examples of foods in this group are:

Vegetables: Carrots Orange bell peppers Pumpkins and squashes Swede Sweetcorn Sweet potatoes Yellow tomatoes Yellow bell peppers

Fruits and berries: Apricots Citrus fruit, incl. oranges, mandarines / nectarines / satsumas / tangerines, grapefruit, lemon, kumquat, etc. Mangos Nectarines Orange melon ('Cantaloupe') Papayas / paw-paws Peaches Physalis / Cape gooseberries Pineapple Sea-buckthorn Star fruit / carambola Yellow plums

GREEN

Green fruits and vegetables contain phytonutrients such as Lutein, Zeaxanthin, Sulforaphane and Isocyanate which inhibit the action of various carcinogens, and help guard against a range of eye problems such as cataracts.

Examples of foods in this group are:

Vegetables: Artichokes Avocados Courgette / zucchini Cucumber Broccoli Brussels sprouts Green asparagus Green beans Green bell peppers Green / Savoy cabbage Herbs (fresh), when eaten in sufficient quantities Lettuce and similar salad leaves Okra / lady's fingers Pak choi and similar greens Peas Spinach Watercress

Fruits and berries: Green apples Green grapes Green melon ('Honeydew') Kiwis Limes

LIGHT GREEN / WHITE

Light green or white fruits and vegetables contain compounds such as Allicin, Quercetin and Kaempferol, which can protect you from heart disease by lowering cholesterol levels and blood pressure, as well as helping to reduce the risk of tumor growth associated with various cancers.

Examples of foods in this group are:

Vegetables: Bean sprouts Cauliflower Celeriac Celery Cucumber Garlic Jerusalem artichokes Mushrooms Onions, incl. spring onions and leeks Parsnips White asparagus White cabbage, incl. traditionally-made sauerkraut White radish / daikon / mooli

Fruits and berries: Bananas Dragon fruit Green grapes Green melon ('Honeydew') Pears White / yellow grapes Whitecurrants

PURPLE / BLUE

Purple and blue fruits and vegetables contain Anthocyanins which reduce the risk of heart disease, help prevent the formation of blood clots (associated with various illnesses such as stroke, deep-vein thrombosis and heart attack), and protect cells from damage thus reducing the risk of cancer.

Examples of foods in this group are:

Vegetables: Aubergines / eggplants Beetroots Purple bell peppers Purple / blue potatoes Red cabbage Red onions

Fruits and berries: Blackberries Blackcurrants Blueberries / bilberries Figs Purple plums Purple grapes

If you find any inaccuracies in the above descriptions, or would like to suggest any additional content, feel free to get in touch by e-mailing us.

You can also find more information about the various compounds from some of the websites listed in the links section.

HOW TO (EASILY) GET YOUR DAILY COLOURS

• First and foremost, think about colours when doing your food shopping:  by buying a range of different-coloured fruits and vegetables (in other words, if you're already buying strawberries, then rather than also buy raspberries why not get some blueberries instead?) is the easiest way to ensure you get a range of colours throughout the week.  As you become more aware of colours, you will probably also notice the seasonal variations better:  green asparagus is in season in May, red beetroots come out in June, and so on – fresh, in-season produce is no doubt the tastiest, healthiest and most exciting way to improve your diet.

• Get into the habit of having at least one portion of mixed salad every day.  A big bowlful of different salad leaves and/or shredded cabbage (ideally alternating between red, white and green), with your choice of salad vegetables such as cucumber (green), tomato (red), grated carrot (orange), and perhaps some beans or sweetcorn (yellow) not only ticks just about every colour box but also ensures a good supply of vitamins and other nutrients.  Not to mention that it tastes great, without piling on the calories (assuming you keep away from the mayo and other oily dressings, that is).

• High quality juices such as the Twisted Juice range are both delicious and convenient, and each portion of different-coloured juice counts towards your colours intake (although they can collectively only count as one portion of your 'five a day' target).  By keeping a few different juices in your fridge you can easily supplement your daily diet with the 'missing' colour.  Premium smoothies such as Innocent or PJ's offer the added nutritional advantages of whole fruits/berries, and can count as additional portions towards your 'five a day'.  (Just make sure to always check that the juice or smoothie is made of real natural ingredients without any added sugars, additives or other rubbish.)

• Similarly, vegetable soups are an easy way to get your daily fix:  whether you make your own soups – it really is easier than you think, very quick and inexpensive, and you know exactly what went into the soup – or buy fresh premium soups such as The New Covent Garden range, you can easily keep a couple of different colours in your fridge, and you're never more than a few microwave minutes away from a delicious and satisfying lunch or supper.  (Again, if you're buying ready-made soups, check the nutritional information to make sure the product is made of real vegetables and doesn't contain extra fat, sugar, salt or additives.)

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