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From: The Best Life Guide to Managing Diabetes and Pre-Diabetes by Bob Greene; John J. Merendino Jr., M.D.; and Janis Jibrin, M.S., R.D. Copyright © 2009 by Bestlife Corporation. Reprinted by permission of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
A fruit’s or vegetable’s color is a good indicator of the different vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients it contains. Put a rainbow on your plate, and you’re going to cover a lot of your nutrient bases. Here’s a color-by-color breakdown.
| Fruit/Vegetable Color or Type | Such as... | What they bring to the table |
| Green |
Asparagus, beet greens, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, collard greens, dandelion greens, green beans, honeydew melon, kale, kiwi, mustard greens, okra, parsley, peas, peppers, spinach, Swiss chard, romaine lettuce, and zucchini |
Lutein and zeaxanthin, powerful antioxidants (especially lutein) linked to reducing the risk for two eye diseases: cataracts and macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness. Many are also good sources of beta-carotene. |
|
White/Green |
Artichokes, asparagus, celery, chives, endive, garlic, green pears, mushrooms, onions, and scallions |
Onions, potatoes, and garlic are especially rich in allyl sulfides, which help prevent stomach and colon cancer and may lower cholesterol. Onions are also a good source of quercetin, which protects against cancer and possibly heart disease. The rest contain flavonoids, a large class of phytonutrients linked to preventing heart disease. |
NEXT: What About Carrots?
Topic: go for gold
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