Healthy Ideas

Healthy Ideas:

"Keep it colorful!

It’s time to be adventurous and try new and interesting varieties of fruits and veggies. Remember—variety is key in the quest for good health. A broad range of color equals a broad range of nutrients.

It is important to have a colorful variety of fruits and veggies every day, and snacks are a great way to include them in your diet. Snacking on fruits and veggies of different colors—red, dark green, yellow, blue, purple, white and orange—provides the broadest range of nutrients.

Research shows that people who eat generous amounts of colorful fruits and veggies as part of a healthy diet are likely to have reduced risk of chronic diseases including stroke, type 2 diabetes, some types of cancer, and perhaps heart disease and high blood pressure.

So, the next time you prepare a meal or snack, try a delicious and eye-catching rainbow of fruits and veggies!

Colorful fruits and veggies are great sources of vitamins and minerals that can help protect your health, such as:

Fiber
Diets rich in dietary fiber have been shown to have a number of beneficial effects, including decreased risk of coronary heart disease.

Magnesium
This important mineral supports normal muscle and nerve function, a steady heart rhythm and a healthy immune system.

Folate
Healthful diets with adequate folate may reduce a woman’s risk of having a child with a brain or spinal cord defect.

Potassium
Diets rich in potassium may help to maintain a healthy blood pressure.

Vitamin A
Adequate amounts of Vitamin A keep eyes and skin healthy and help protect against infection.

Vitamin C
This valuable vitamin helps heal cuts and wounds and keeps teeth and gums healthy.""