Grow a Rainbow on Your Plate

You can grow a rainbow right in your own backyard! Vegetables and fruits get their coloring from naturally occurring pigmentation. Some examples include carrots, red peppers, tomatoes, eggplant. In addition to providing the essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber that keep our bodies working, fruits and vegetables can also be

linked to health prevention benefits such as decreased risk of stroke, cancer, and heart disease and improved memory. These benefits are attributed to phytonutrients which are substance in plants that are not recognized as vitamins or minerals, but provide a big time health boost.

Many of phytonutrients are responsible for the color of fruits and vegetables. Plants have pigments to protect them against the environment and when we consume fruits and vegetable we receive benefits too. There are so many colorful plants out there that you could plant a vegetable rainbow.

Make your plate a Rainbow!! A colorful plate isn't just pretty to look at---it also serves up a beautiful and delicious dose of healthy nutrients. So get the maximum benefits of those phytonutrients and make sure your plate is filled with a rainbow of colors. Here are a few tips to help you bring more color to your plate.

1 .Don't over cook. When you overcook your vegetable, it loses it color. As the color is cooked out, so are the nutrients. Steaming preserves the color.

2. Add spices and herbs. Flavorful seasoning adds color and is even more delicious!

3. Change one ingredient, If you use green peppers, try yellow. If your salad is always green, add red cabbage.

Rainbows are beautiful in the sky and can be beautiful on your dinner plate!!!