Color Me Healthy at Meals
By Tom Herrin
There is much to be said about finding the best ways to broaden the diversity of daily meals. It seems as if everyone has some kind of a program that is just right. Many times, it is a good one. A simple way to ensure that meals are able to cover the basis of what is needed is to simply be sure to include a good variety of colors. It can almost be done with a brush and paints on a blank piece of paper. That is, the planning may be drawn out and colored accordingly. When people have colors in a meal, they have a better chance of making it more nutritious.
Everyone Likes Blues in Food
Foods that are blue, or sometimes purple, offer some unique perks. These foods are probably best known for their contribution as antioxidants. They are believed to help fight some cancers as well as act against inflammation. They can be a pretty fun group to include in meals. A few of them are blueberries, eggplant, plums, figs, and purple grapes. Any of these are on the delicious list for most people.
Yellow and Orange Foods Are Known for Helping the Eyes
The old saying about eating carrots for the eyes seems to have some merit, but they don't have a lock on this food color group. Some of these are thought to be especially good for the heart, help protect the skin against the sun, and provide some support for the joints. Many of these foods are easily recognizable. A few of them are oranges, sweet potatoes, yellow squash, mango, and pineapple, to name a small list. Many of these foods are commonly served at breakfast while others may simply round out a flavorful meal.
Have a Good Time
If you want, you can make a pretty fun game of creating colorful meals. It is a good way to include the kids in planning. Try giving them some crayons and paper, and let them draw the meals they would like to have. Turning that artwork into a menu that offers good quality nutrition can make ideas turn into reality. We enjoy seeing just how much color we can include in our meals. We have found that we try a lot of new and different foods that we never included before. For us, it seems like a good thing.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Fort Worth, Tex.