A Slice of Nutrition: Color Your Plate Today

The term “Limey,” an old slang nickname referring to sailors, is believed to originate from the practice of giving lime juice to British sailors to prevent scurvy. In a sense, this was the first functional food claim. Although functional foods have no legal meaning in the United States since it is a marketing phrase and not a regulatory phrase, the American Dietetic Association (ADA) have defined it as foods which provide additional health benefits which may help reduce disease risk and/or promote optimal health.

What are the different types of functional foods? Functional foods can be broken up into four categories: conventional foods, modified foods, medical foods, and foods for special dietary use. Today I will discuss conventional foods: the simplest form of functional foods. This category is composed of foods in their original state such as fruits and vegetables. Some examples are garlic, nuts, tomatoes, and berries. These foods are rich in nutritional components that may help boost the immune system and reduce the risk of cancer.

The color of your fruits and vegetables signify the nutrient you are consuming. The chart below exhibits some of the most common nutrients found in specific colors.

Color	Nutrients	Functions
Red	Lycopene Ellagic Acid Quercetin	1. Reduce the risk of prostate cancer 2. Lowers blood pressure 3. Antioxidant (fights harmful free radicals)
Orange/Yellow	Beta-carotene Lycopene Potassium Vitamin C Flavonoids	1. Reduce the risk of prostate cancer 2. Reduce age-related vision issues 3. Lowers cholesterol and blood pressure 4. Antioxidant 5. Promotes healthy joints
Green	Chlorophyll Fiber Lutein Folate Vitamin C Beta-carotene Zeaxanthin	1. Reduce cancer risks 2. Lowers cholesterol and blood pressure 3. Help with digestion 4. Antioxidant 5. Boost immunity
Blue/Purple	Lutein Zeaxanthin Resveratrol Vitamin C Fiber Flavonoids Ellagic acid Quercetin	1. Support retinal health 2. Lowers cholesterol 3. Boost immunity 4. Help with digestion 5. Improve mineral absorption 6. Fight inflammation 7. Reduce tumor growth
White	Beta-Glucans EGCG (antioxidant) SDG(antioxidant) Lignans	1. Boost immunity 2. Reduce cancer risks 3. Balance hormone levels 4. Antioxidant

By eating a variety of colors, you are guaranteed a diverse amount of essential vitamins and minerals. Try to eat a different color every day! Use the list below to get ideas of colorful produce to incorporate into your meals. Then, go to the supermarket and pick out 1 veggie or fruit from each color. Remember, don’t rule out frozen fruits and veggies (as long as there are no added ingredients). If you have kids, take them with you to help pick out the weekly colors. This can be a fun activity for kids and will help keep them interested in healthy foods.

Today, food is not just seen as a way to get carbohydrate, protein, and fats into the body. Rather, food is seen as a route to the best possible wellness. Consumers are constantly on the prowl for the next trend in nutritional health but it can become confusing to determine which foods will provide an additional physiological benefit beyond that of meeting basic nutritional needs. The research being done on functional foods is continuously expanding and it is a very exciting time to get on the functional food bandwagon!

Here are some pictures of colorful dishes my family and I have cooked recently: