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By: Pamela Redwine,
MSU Nutrition and Food Safety Area Agent
Our mothers, fathers, and grandparents always told us to eat our vegetables and they were right, but it turns out that they may not have known just how right they were. As children, many of us probably turned our noses up at the greens, oranges, reds, and purples we found on our plates. However, by eating these different colors each week it may mean the difference between being in good health and great health.
Using the MyPyramid food guidance system (http://www.mypyramid.gov), one can see how important the role that fruits and vegetables should play in our everyday diet. Of course the amounts of fruits and vegetables we need differ based on factors such as our age, gender, and personal physical activity level. However, regardless of how much we need; we all need a wide variety of fruits and vegetables.
We need variety, in terms of color and type. When looking at vegetables in MyPyramid, they are grouped into five main categories: dark green vegetables, orange vegetables, dry beans and peas, starchy vegetables, and other vegetables. Fruits include different types of berries, different types of melons, apples, oranges, kiwi and a world of other fruits and 100% fruit juices.
It is widely known that fruits and vegetables are a great source of fiber and that they are high in vitamin and mineral content. However, we are just beginning to learn how phytonutrients, also called phytochemicals, are provided by the fruits and vegetables to protect our bodies against a wide range of chronic diseases, slow the aging process, and increase our immunity.
Basically, phytos means plant and that is why the fruits and vegetables you consume everyday are so important. We continue to learn about what impact and how much of an impact these phytonutrients have with regard to our overall health and the results seem to be pretty amazing. Since the 1980’s, research in the area of phytonutrients has exploded. Research continues to examine how phytonutrients may protect against certain types of cancers, cardiovascular disease and stroke, high blood pressure and other chronic conditions.
Phytonutrients are really a different group unto themselves. They are neither vitamin nor mineral. Phytonutrients are substances produced by the plant naturally to protect themselves, from such things as insects, drought, fungi, bacteria, and viruses. When we consume fruits and vegetables that contain the phytonutrients, we receive the benefits.
Phytonutrients also provide the fruits and vegetables with their color, smell, and flavor.
The amazing properties and health benefits are unique to the specific phytonutrient and many of the phytonutrients are specific to certain groups of fruits and vegetables. There are literally thousands of phytochemicals and more than two thousand are pigments that provide color to all the different fruit and vegetables of the world.
Because of the vast number, you can see why research in this area is simply beginning. Only a few hundred different phytonutrients have been studied to date. When organizing the phytonutrients, they are grouped by similarities between the phytonutrient’s properties and similarities to the benefits they may provide.
Another important fact to remember is that by eating the whole fruit or vegetable you gain the benefit of many different phytonutrients. For example, an orange contains over 170 different phytonutrients. When you consume the whole fruit or vegetable, you receive the benefit of all the different phytonutrients contained inside. That is why it is imp ortant to consume a variety of whole fruits and vegetables instead of consuming only a supplement. Because research in this area is so new, it is unclear whether phytonutrients act alone or if their benefit is increased when combined with other phytonutrients. Second, it is much less expensive to eat one orange than buying 170 different supplements.
Space prohibits listing all the different types of phytonutrients, but it is important to mention a few of the more popular ones, along with the common foods where they are found, and the suspected benefits they may provide.
• Carotenoids— are a specific class and are among the most popular. It is important to mention three different types of carotenoids.
• Beta carotene—found in yellow-orange fruits and vegetables; work as an antioxidant to help prevent cell damage, slow the aging process, reduce risk of some cancers, and may improve lung function.
• Lutein—found in green vegetables, such as spinach and broccoli; contribute to maintaining healthy vision and may reduce risk of certain cancers.
• Lycopene—most red fruits and vegetables, like tomatoes; reduce the risk of prostate cancer and may also reduce the risk of heart disease.
• Flavoniods—are another popular class of phytonutrients. It is important to mention three different types of flavonoids.
• Catechins—found in black and green tea; may help reduce risk for cancers of the stomach, skin, and esophagus.
• Anthocyanosides—found in a variety of berries and eggplant; may help reduce cancer risk and prevent against urinary tract infections.
• Resveratrol—found in red grapes, red wine, and peanuts; supports normal cardiovascular health, may protect against some cancers, and may help reduce the risk of blood clots and stroke.
• Saponins—found in garlic, onions, and licorice; believed to lower LDL cholesterol and contain anti-cancer enzymes.
• Capsaicin—found in chili peppers; may assist with relieving headache pain, relief from arthritis pain, and act as an anti-inflammatory.
• Tannins—found in cranberries, cocoa, and chocolate; may improve urinary tract health and reduce risk of cardiovascular disease.
We don’t yet know how much of each phytonutrient is needed to provide the expected benefit. Therefore, it is very important that we listen to what our parents and grandparents said and eat our fruits and vegetables. By making our plate look like a rainbow of colors, we receive the benefits of these phytonutrients, both known and unknown. The more variety we consume; the more benefits we can expect to receive.
So, the next time you are at the grocery store, in addition to selecting the same fruits and vegetables you eat each week; pick out something new and different also. Find a fruit or vegetable with a different color or aroma and help your body receive the power of phytonutrients.
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