Article # 494. Eat the Rainbow

Eat the Rainbow

The Reds

Dine on a gorgous rainbow of fruits and vegetables, nutritionsts like to remind us, and we'll net nature's full spectrum of health-promoting nutrients. But what does an "eat-your-colors" diet look like after the first few salad bar creations? We've come up with a handful of inspiring dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner that taste as vivid as they look.

Resveratrol:

Good Sources: red wine, red grapes
Benefits: The wonder-working polyphenol neutralizes free radicals and may inhibit inflammation.
Cooking Tip: For a quick hit, roast whole grapes with garlic and fresh thyme. Add frozen grapes to fruit salad (bonus: they’ll keep the dish chilled).

Capsaicin:

Good Source: chile peppers
Benefits: Hot stuff, indeed: This helps stave off hunger and even burns some calories. It also relieves pain.
Cooking Tip: Add minced chiles to scrambled eggs and stir-fries.

Lycopene:

Good Sources: tomatoes, watermelon, pink grapefruit, bell peppers
Benefits: A diet rich in this carotenoid may reduce the risk of prostate cancer by as much as 35 percent.
Cooking Tip: The body best absorbs lycopene when combined with fat: Toss tomatoes and watermelon with olive oil and feta. Canned tomatoes are a smart staple during the fruit's off season; lycopene content may even increase in foods processed at high temperatures.