22 Rainbow on Your Plate-Mid

Rainbow on Your Plate FOCUS Question Why is it important to eat fruits and vegetables of many different colors?

Colors Galore! Have you heard someone say to "eat the rainbow" when talking about fruits and vegetables? These colorful foods look vibrant on your plate, and they're healthy for you, too! The many colors of fruits and veggies come from natural chemicals called pigments. These pigments are also phytonutrients (fie-toh-NOO-tree-untz) that help plants grow and stay healthy. Some phytonutrients help plants make their own food. Others act like an "immune system" for plants. They protect plants from insects, diseases, and ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the Sun. When you eat fruits and vegetables, you take in nutrients your body needs to survive, such as vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. You also take in phytonutrients. These substances are not essential for your survival, but they do help you stay healthy. Word Wise Phyto comes from the Greek word for "plant."

One way phytonutrients can help is by getting rid of free radicals. Your body makes these substances when you breathe, eat, or exercise. They also form when part of your body becomes swollen, red, and painful. This inflammation may happen when you have an infection or an injury. Free radicals can damage tissues in your body if their numbers get too high. Fortunately, many of the phytonutrients are antioxidants. They are like chemical superheroes. They tackle free radicals and keep them in balance. This helps reduce inflammation. When you eat colorful fruits and veggies, you get all the health benefits that each color of the rainbow offers. 1. Free radicals steal electrons from healthy atoms, turning them into free radicals. 2. Antioxidants save the day by giving electrons to free radicals. 3. The free radicals become healthy atoms again!

Green Crunch! A green apple is a tasty snack to bite into. Did you know that green fruits and vegetables are also some of the healthiest foods? They are loaded with phytonutrients as well as vitamins and minerals. Dark, leafy greens such as kale and spinach fight inflammation in your body. They also contain antioxidants that help keep your eyes healthy. Other green fruits and vegetables such as asparagus, broccoli, and kiwi may reduce the risk of some types of cancer, keep bones and teeth strong, protect the heart, and boost the body's immune system.

How do these green fruits and vegetables get their color? All green plants have chlorophyll, a green pigment that absorbs sunlight. Plants use sunlight to power photosynthesis, the process by which plants make their own food in the form of sugar. The energy you get from eating plants was once energy from the Sun. Not only does chlorophyll allow plants to make their own food, but it's also an important phytonutrient that may help people fight cancer. In addition, chlorophyll molecules contain the mineral magnesium. As your body digests a green plant, magnesium enters your bloodstream. Magnesium regulates sugar levels in your blood. It keeps your muscles functioning well, and it promotes healthy bones and blood pressure. Tiny structures in plant cells called chloroplasts contain thousands of molecules of chlorophyll. The chlorophyll model above shows how the different parts of the molecule fit together.

Red, Orange, and Yellow A juicy pink watermelon might make you think of a summer's day. Other fruits and vegetables— like tomatoes, grapefruit, and beets— also come in pink and red hues. Their colors come from lycopene (LIE- kuh- peen), which is an important antioxidant, Lycopene belongs to a group of phytonutrients called carotenoids (kuh- RAH- tuh- noydz). Lycopene may help fight cancer, keep the heart healthy, and help with inflammation. Other carotenoids are orange or yellow in color. Sweet potatoes, pumpkins, and carrots have beta carotene. Your body uses this phytonutrient to make vitamin A, which boosts your immune system and promotes healthy eyes. Lutein (LOO- teen) is another carotenoid. In plants, lutein absorbs extra light energy from the Sun to prevent UV damage. Eating foods with lutein, such as corn, may help protect your eyes and skin from UV radiation.