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Science News has a very interesting article about the colors in foods and the nutritional value behind them. It seems we should all be eating more fruits and vegetables that have a lot of color in them - and I don’t think they’re talking about chocolate cake and Coke.
Here’s a few highlights from the article.
In a study involving 100,000 health professionals, they found significantly less chronic illness and heart disease in those that ate the most fruits and vegetables. Green leafy vegetables seemed to be the most effective. The study authors say that each daily serving of spinach or other greens eaten lowers the risk of getting heart disease by 11 percent.
Dark tinted fruits and vegetables are also very good for you. Some research shows that the red in tomatoes and watermelon helps to prevent and reduce prostate cancer - but only in men.
Another study indicated grape skins and seeds are very good for your heart. I just don’t care to eat grape seeds. I prefer the seedless kind.
Pomegranates are especially rich in “flavonoids.” A study on drinking about two ounces of pomegranate juice a day lowered blood pressure by 20 percent.
Blueberries were shown to be very nutritious with flavonoids. In a study of rats, they found that when their food was about two percent blueberries, the rats did not develop Alzheimer’s symptoms and their memories stayed keen. They never forgot where their cheese was.
My mother makes a great elderberry pie. I wonder if a piece of elderberry pie a day is good for me.
Upon reading this, I went right out and bought a bag of Doritos blue corn chips. They are made with blue corn and the article implies they should be healthy.
That’s what I like, food that both taste good and is good for you. At the end of the article, they link to this recipe for an avocado and blueberry smoothie.
I would think my breakfast drink would fit nicely with their recommendations.
In fact, I just bought new blender today at Wal-Mart for $18. My current blender still works OK, but it’s starting to sound unhappy. I’ll keep the new blender in the basement, until my current one dies.
Click on this link here to read the whole article. It's a little long, but worth the read.
Posted by Ted at January 15, 2005 08:34 PM