Phytonutrients: Colors for Health

Many years ago, when I first got into food and before I had ever heard of phytonutrients I thought “ what if you could eat for nutrition by color?” Years later I realize you can and that the organic components of plants that indicate the color contain powerful antioxidants.

Phytonutrients are not vitamins you receive when eating a diet of fresh fruits and vegetables, they are a photochemical that provides support to the seed.  It is believed that these same components promote human health. They are not traditional nutrients like protein, fat, vitamins, minerals. But like vitamins, minerals and enzymes, phytonutrients work together, so one should consume fruits and vegetables from the entire color spectrum for good balance.

The color categories of phytonutrients are:

• red
• red purple (and blue),
• orange, orange-yellow,
• yellow-green,
• green,
• white-green.

Red / Purple

These foods contain anthocyanins. Anthocyanins occur in all tissues of higher plants, including leaves, stems, roots, flowers, and fruits. Anthocyanins may inhibit the formation of clots therefore reducing the occurrence of heart disease and stroke. Anthocyanins are less abundant in banana, asparagus, pea, fennel, pear and potato, and may be totally absent in certain cultivars of green gooseberries.

Nature, primitive agriculture, and plant breeding have produced various uncommon crops containing anthocyanins, including blue- or red-fleshed potatoes and purple or red broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, carrots and corn. Tomatoes have been bred conventionally for high anthocyanin content by crossing wild relatives with the common tomato to transfer a gene called the anthocyanin fruit tomato (“aft”) gene into a larger and more palatable fruit.

• Acai berries
• Blackberries
• Blueberries”Cherries
• Cranberries (or sauce)
• Eggplant
• Plum
• Prunes
• Purple or red grapes
• Raspberries
• Red apples
• Red cabbage
• Red pear
• Red pepper
• Red wine
• Strawberries

Red

Red colored vegetables and fruits contain lycopene, a cancer fighting antioxidant. Found in tomatoes and other red fruits & vegetables, such as red carrots, watermelons and papayas (but not strawberries or cherries). Preliminary research has shown an inverse correlation between consumption of tomatoes and cancer risk.The lycopene content of tomatoes depends on species and increases as the fruit ripens.

Unlike other fruits and vegetables, where nutritional content such as vitamin C is diminished upon cooking, processing of tomatoes increases the concentration of bio-available lycopene. Lycopene in tomato paste is four times more bio-available than in fresh tomatoes. For this reason, tomato sauce is a preferable source as opposed to raw tomatoes.

• Tomatoes
• Guava
• Pink grapefruit
• Watermelon

Orange

The eyes and skin will benefit from the beta carotene in organic foods. An extra measure of cancer defense is another benefit.

• Acorn or winter squash
• Apricot
• Cantaloupe
• Carrots
• Mango
• Pumpkin
• Sweet Potato

The U.S. Department of Agriculture lists the following foods to have the highest β-carotene content per serving.

Orange / Yellow

These foods are rich in beta cryptoxanthin, a cell protecting anti-oxidant. Like alpha- and beta-carotene, cryptoxanthin is a powerful antioxidant that can be converted to active retinol, or vitamin A, in the body. Vitamin A is crucial to the maintenance of healthy vision, reproduction, and body tissues. Recent studies have shown that cryptoxanthin also plays an important role in preventing many forms of cancer.

Cryptoxanthin may protect against other diseases associated with aging, including heart disease, skin cancer, prostate cancer, and arthritis. Like other carotenoids, cryptoxanthin almost certainly plays a key role in keeping the eyes healthy and preventing against age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts. Research also indicates that carotenoids may play a role in the prevention of many other serious health conditions, including Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), asthma, chronic yeast infection, and infertility.

• Nectarines
• Oranges
• Papaya
• Peaches
• Pineapple
• Tangerines
• Yellow grapefruit

Yellow / Green

These foods provide further protection of the eyes, containing lutein and zeaxanthin,, which may help fight cateracts and macular degeneration.

• Avocado
• Collard, mustard or turnip greens
• Corn
• Cucumbers (with skin)
• Green beans
• Green peas
• Green or yellow pepper
• Kiwi
• Romain or leaf lettuce (not iceberg!)
• Spinach
• Zucchini (with skin)

Green

Isothiocyanates can be found in cruciferous or “cabbage family” vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, kale, turnips, collards, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kohlrabi, rutabaga, Chinese cabbage, bok choy, horseradish, radish, and watercress.1,2,5

These vegetables add crunch or flavor to many of our familiar dishes, such as coleslaw, vegetable stir-fry, collard greens, and salads. While many people readily enjoy these cruciferous vegetables, some find them a little bitter. In fact, studies have found that some people are “supertasters” and tend to dislike bitter foods because their tastebuds are more sensitive to them.  If you are one of these people, experiment with different ways of preparing these vegetables—such as slow-cooking kale or collards or adding a little lemon or vinegar—to make them more appetizing to you. They are too valuable for the prevention of cancer to avoid.

• Broccoli or broccoli sprouts
• Brussell Sprouts
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Chinese cabbage
• Kale
• Swiss chard

White / Green

These foods are rich in flavanoids, which protect cells against damage. Garlic and onions contain allicin, a tumor figher. Flavonoids, a group of chemical compounds with antioxidant properties, are derived from a variety of plants.

Only a few years ago, dark chocolate was found to contain more flavonoids than any other food that’s been tested so far, including such flavonoid-rich foods as green and black tea, red wine and blueberries, says Engler. “Many people don’t realize that chocolate is plant-derived, as are the fruits and vegetables recommended for a healthy heart. Chocolate is made from the cacao bean found in the fruit pod of the cacao tree (Theobroma cacao).”

• Artichokes
• Asparagus
• Celery
• Chives
• Endive
• Leeks
• Garlic
• Onions

Some of the common classes of phytonutrients include:

• Carotenoids
• Flavonoids (Polyphenols), including Isoflavones (Phytoestrogens)
• Inositol Phosphates (Phytates)
• Lignans (Phytoestrogens)
• Isothiocyanates and Indoles
• Phenols and Cyclic Compounds
• Saponins
• Sulfides and Thiols
• Terpenes