As summer winds down and children head back to school, we wanted to touch on the health benefits of encouraging children to eat Nature’s pHarmacy® and Nature’s Alkaline Way™ from an early age. Consuming a colorful variety of fruits and vegetables is an excellent way to promote overall health and well-being. This post will explore the benefits of different colored fruits and vegetables and how they contribute to children’s health, and will suggest relevant child-friendly recipes to try.
Red – Powerful Antioxidants
Red foods such as tomatoes, strawberries, watermelon, and red bell pepper contain a variety of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidant phytonutrients. Vitamins A & C have antioxidant properties that protect the body against free radical damage. Lycopene and other carotenoids contribute to the red color and also act as potent antioxidants that can contribute to cardiovascular health. Antioxidants also help strengthen the immune system, promoting better defense against illness.
Here are a couple fun child-friendly recipes that contain strawberries.
Here is a refreshing strawberry-orange popsicle recipe.
Orange – Boost Immunity and Vision
Orange foods such as oranges, carrots, and sweet potatoes are rich in beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A. In fact, one serving of carrot provides 184% of the daily requirement of Vitamin A, and one serving of sweet potato provides 102%. Vitamin A, as mentioned above, helps support a robust immune system, helping kids stay protected from infections, but is also essential for maintaining healthy vision, especially in growing children.
Try these child-friendly orange-food-containing recipes:
Carrot: https://www.drrusselljaffe.com/easy-no-bake-gluten-free-carrot-pecan-bites-recipe/
Sweet potato: https://www.drrusselljaffe.com/air-fryer-apple-sweet-potato-chips-two-ways/
Yellow – Promote Digestive Health
Yellow foods such as pineapple, yellow squash, lemons contain large amounts of Vitamin C and potassium, which together boost immune function, support cardiovascular health, protect cells from free radical damage, and support collagen synthesis. Interestingly, these foods also contain specific compounds with unique effects on the digestive system. Pineapple contains bromelain, which helps digest proteins and reduce inflammation. It’s also a highly alkalinizing food. Yellow squash contains homogalacturonan pectin, which is prebiotic, and can help promote digestive health. Lemons contain phytonutrients that may help protect the stomach from gastric ulcers. Ginger, which is yellow inside, contains more than 400 chemicals, of which gingerol is the most studied. In addition to its antioxidant and antiinflammatory effects, it is also quite effective at preventing nausea and vomiting.
This yummy salsa recipe is filled with pineapple and mango.
Green – Nutritional Powerhouses
Green leafy vegetables are packed with vitamins A, C, E and K, while green vegetables such as broccoli and bok choy also contain many B vitamins. Green veggies also contain iron to support healthy blood and oxygen circulation, calcium to strengthen growing bones, and folate for healthy cell development. The vegetables’ green color comes from chlorophyll, which has antioxidant properties. Lutein is another antioxidant in green veggies that can help protect skin from ultraviolet sun damage, boost brain function, and improve eye health.
Here’s a recipe for a colorful composed salad. What’s great about this recipe for children is you can start with leafy greens such as romaine lettuce, then add in a rainbow of their favorite colorful fruits, nuts, and veggies.
Blue and Purple – Brain Health and Cognitive Function
Blue and purple foods like blueberries, blackberries and eggplant get their color from antioxidant/antiinflammatory pigments known as anthocyanins. These pigments have neuroprotective effects and have been shown to reverse memory loss, improve motor skills, and help slow cognitive decline. Anthocyanins also are helpful in the prevention of diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and more.
Other antioxidant/antiinflammatory compounds found in blue and purple foods include resveratrol (in the skin of purple grapes) and polyphenols (in berries). Both compounds have protective effects on many systems in the body, and support brain health and cognitive function.
This fruit salad recipe is berry-rich, and also contains red, orange, and yellow fruits for maximum health benefit.
The Full Rainbow – For Health
Eating a rainbow of fruits and vegetables can provide needed nutrients to growing children. As caregivers, we have the opportunity to make mealtime an exciting and educational experience by introducing a variety of flavors and textures found in nature’s abundant produce. Instilling these healthy habits early on sets the foundation for a lifetime of well-being and good health.
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