Healthy vegetables: 5 colors and their meanings
Different vegetables contain important and beneficial nutrients, and there is a range of colors that you should look for when choosing vegetables, which have important nutritional implications.
It is important to consume a large and varied amount of vegetables as part of a healthy lifestyle.
Experts recommend that you contain 9 servings of vegetables, preferably in different combinations of at least 5 color combinations, due to the special features of each color.
About the benefits of vegetables
The benefits of vegetables stem from their richness in important nutrients that the body needs, the most important of which are the following:
1- Dietary fiber
Vegetables contain high levels of dietary fiber, which are compounds that are not digested by the human body but contribute to:
- Increased feeling of fullness for a long time.
- Stimulating proper bowel activity.
- The slowing rise in blood sugar after eating.
- Reducing cholesterol absorption in the gastrointestinal tract.
2- Minerals and vitamins
In addition, vegetables are characterized by their high content of vitamins and minerals. And vegetables also contain other important components for maintaining health.
3- Antioxidants
Also, vegetables contain a high amount of vitamin C and selenium, which have been proven to be antioxidants and have a protective effect, especially against colon cancer, and these materials are more available after cooking, except in certain types that are not preferred to be cooked.
There is also the active substance called allicin, which is abundant in garlic and onions, and allicin helps:
- Cancer prevention.
- Comprehensive strengthening of the immune system.
- Lowering cholesterol levels in the blood.
Vegetable colors and their meanings
Here is an overview of the five groups and their health properties:
1- red color
Red vegetables contain different carotenoids, such as lycopene, that help:
- Protection from vascular diseases, heart, and cancer.
- Protection from harmful substances present in polluted air.
- Slowing the aging process, including protecting the skin from sun damage, maintaining cognitive functions, maintaining eye health, and protecting against various types of cancer.
Among the most important vegetables rich in red color are the following: tomatoes, radish, beetroot, red pepper.
2- orange color
These vegetables contain beta-carotene in a concentrated form, which helps prevent cancer. It is an antioxidant and thus reduces and slows down the aging process and helps in the proper functioning of the immune system.
Among the most important vegetables rich in orange color are the following: carrots, sweet peppers, pumpkin.
3- green color
In most cases, this type of pigment is the type called lutein pigment, which helps:
- Preventing degenerative diseases in old age.
- Bone strengthening.
- Maintaining the integrity of the visual system.
Among the most important vegetables rich in green are the following: green peppers, cucumbers, watercress, kale, spinach, chard, and leafy vegetables.
4- white color
The vegetables that are distinguished by their white color are rich in sulfur and quartz compounds, which help:
- Protection from infection.
- Improving the coagulation process in the blood.
- Preventing vascular and heart diseases.
- Cancer protection.
Among the most important vegetables rich in white are the following: white radish, onions, fennel.
5- purple
Vegetables rich in pigments from the group of antivenins contain antioxidants for the prevention of complications of diabetes and the development of atherosclerosis.
Among the most important vegetables rich in purple are the following: eggplant, cabbage, red onions.