THE RAINBOW CONNECTION

THE RAINBOW CONNECTION

A wide selection of colour shouldn’t be only in your closet. Fill your plate with a vibrant array of fruits and vegetables to keep your brain and body at their peak.

Most of us know that we should be eating more produce each day but we’re coming up short in terms of eating a variety of fruit and vegetable colours. We tend to eat the same produce over and over again. This skew towards bland means we’re missing out on a lot more than just good – tasting food. They are unique phyto – chemicals, or plant chemicals, that vary from colour to colour. These various compounds all do different things to protect your health. Experts say that if you’re eating only red bell peppers, you’re going to be limited as far as health benefits because you’re not getting all those other colours. When it comes to selecting produce, there’s no one tint that rises above the rest. We need the full spectrum. Here’s what each hue brings you.

GREEN

Artichokes

Artichokes : Seek out deep – green, heavy artichokes with with tightly – closed leaves that squeak when pinched. Storage : in the fridge, in a plastic bag, up to five days.   

Asparagus

Asparagus : Buy vibrant green spears with tight, purple – tinged buds. Thin spears are sweet and tender. Storage : Trim the woody ends. Stand the spears in a bit of water in a tall container; cover tops with a plastic bag. Cook within a few days. 

Avocados

Avocados : Find firm one with no sunken, mushy spots and a waxy rather than shiny appearance. Shake it – a rattle means the pit has pulled away from the flesh. Not good. Storage : To ripen, place in a paper bag and store at room temperature for two to four days. Ripe ones can go in the fridge for up to a week.

Broccoli

Broccoli : Look for rigid stems with tight floret clusters that are deep green or tinged purple. Pass on any with yellowing heads – they’re too bitter. Storage : Refrigerate in a plastic bag for up to one week. 

Green Beans

Green beans : Good beans have vibrant, smooth surfaces. The best are thin, young and velvety, and will snap when you bend them gently. Storage : Refrigerate unwashed in an unsealed bag for up to one week. 

Kiwis

Kiwis : A ripe kiwi will be slightly yielding to the touch. Avoid mushy or wrinkled ones with an “off” smell. Storage : Let kiwis ripen at room temperature. To speed up the process, place them in a paper bag with an apple or a ripe banana. Once ripe, refrigerate kiwis in a plastic bag for up to a week. 

TO BE CONTINUED…

SOURCE : THE RAINBOW CONNECTION,Nature and Health, Borneo Post, Saturday, 24 July 2010. Google Images.