It's not enough to just eat an adequate number of servings of fruits & vegetables. You also need to make sure that you are getting a wide variety of colors. The phytochemicals that make your produce green, red, yellow or purple all have unique attributes to keep you healthy and strong.We've noticed that most people have difficulty getting enough variety in their produce, so we're giving you a list of fruits & vegetables by color. Make sure you eat a few items in each color throughout your week.
LEAFY GREENS
Spinach
Kale
Collard greens
Turnip greens
Bok choy
Romaine lettuce
Cabbage
OTHER GREEN VEGGIES
Broccoli
Zucchini
Artichoke
Brussel Sprouts
Asparagus
Green bell pepper
Snap Peas
Green Beans
Celery
Cucumbers
GREEN FRUIT
Kiwi
Honeydew Melon
Green Grapes
Lime
RED VEGETABLES:
Red bell pepper
Radishes
Beets
Red cabbage
Tomatoes
Red potatoes
RED FRUIT:
Strawberries
Raspberries
Pomegranate
Watermelon
Plums
Guava
Papaya
Pink Grapefruit
Cherries
YELLOW/ORANGE VEGGIES:
Corn
Squash
Yellow Peppers
Carrots
Sweet Potatoes
Yams
YELLOW FRUIT:
Banana
Pineapple
Lemon
PURPLE VEGGIES:
Eggplant
Beets
Purple cabbage
purple onions
purple lettuce
purple potatoes
purple bell peppers
Purple asparagus
Purple cauliflower
Purple broccoli
PURPLE FRUIT
Blueberries
Blackberries
Plums
Grapes
Pomegranate
Prunes
Figs
Raisins
Now it's your turn. Please share your ideas by posting comments on any of these topics:
- Other colorful veggies & fruit not listed above that you think we should try
- Your favorite places to buy fresh produce
- Your favorite recipes that incorporate a variety of colorful produce
The absolute best place to find seasonal, local, and often organic produce is your local Certified Farmer's Market. There's one every Sunday morning in Atwater, every Thursday morning in Glendale, and every Friday evening in Eagle Rock! Not only can you find amazingly tasty and well priced locally grown produce, but they often have unusual varieties of greens like rainbow swiss chard, kales, heirloom tomatoes, and yummy seasonal fruits!
ReplyDeleteSome of the fruits that I also eat, that weren't included on the list are the YELLOW/ORANGE fruits... juicy peaches, nectarines, and apricots (all in season right now!). And although they aren't exactly local, the mangos from Mexico are on sale at Vons and Whole Foods this week.
- kelly
There is also a Saturday morning farmer's market at Americana Mall and Friday night on Kenneth and Sonora (Kenneth Village). I feel very lucky to have such options.
ReplyDeletemangos are delicious, also jalapenos, cilantro and onions = mango salsa.
we grilled this weekend - lots of colorful peppers, tomatoes, zuccini, squash...mmmm.
We love mangoes - thnx for the recipe Julia. Anyone have recipe ideas for papaya? Really like them, but the aftertaste sometimes gets me. Wondering what might go with them.
ReplyDeleteI love buying frozen peas and carrots. Boil and drain and then put in to the fridge. When I'm feeling snack-y, i'll put a cup worth of the veggies in a bowl and add salt (served cold). It is soooo tasty and satisfying. For dinner, I'll add brown rice to make it extra satisfying.
ReplyDeleteBeth - great idea with the frozen peas & carrots! Never thought of that for a snack. I'll have to try it!
ReplyDeleteElaine