Food & Colour!

What Do Antioxidants Do

We often hear about antioxidants being good for us in ‘superfoods’ such as blueberries and broccoli, but what do they actually do and why are they good for us?

The body is subject to many external toxins, which may include stress, pollution, UV light, cigarette smoke and even household cleaning products! These toxins can lead to oxidative stress in the body, which can ultimately cause damage or death of the cell.

Antioxidants fight against these toxins, essentially preventing the oxidisation and therefore damage to the cells in our body. Major antioxidants include vitamins C and E, carotenoids such as lycopene and lutein, polyphenols such as flavonoids and the minerals selenium and zinc. Antioxidants are found in abundance in bright and colourful food.

Foods To Eat

So, to keep the body replenished with antioxidants and help with the everyday stresses of life, you need lots of colour on your plate! Choose a range of colours with every meal:

Green foods – spinach, courgettes, broccoli, kiwi fruit, green grapes, pears, avocadoes, green apples, spinach

Yellow/orange foods - lemons, carrots, sweet potatoes, squash, apricots, pineapple, corn

Red foods - tomatoes, watermelon, red beans (red kidney beans, pinto beans), raspberries, strawberries, cherries

Blue/purple foods - aubergine, beetroot, blackberries, blueberries, purple grapes, plums

White/Brown foods - onions, garlic, ginger, cauliflower, mushrooms, potatoes

So why not make yourself a roasted vegetables and feta cheese couscous salad with red peppers, courgette, aubergine and butternut squash providing you with plenty of colour!

Wishing you a happy and healthy week!

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