“Color Coded” Diet Drives Down Metabolic Disease Risks
The more COLORFUL your diet is, the healthier it tends to be.
That’s because the compounds that create the color in natural foods ALSO provide the most robust health benefits.
As we age, our risk for metabolic diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), rises.
So to reduce those risks you should load your plate up with TWO specific color foods.
Pick purple and red produce.
Red-orange and purple-blue colors in fruits, vegetables, and tubers indicate the presence of potent plant compounds called anthocyanins.
A recent study found that these “colorful chemicals” help fight the most crucial risk factors for metabolic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and fatty liver.
Those risk factors include:
- curbing blood sugar
- controlling lipid metabolism
- suppressing inflammation
- controlling blood pressure
- improving the gut microbiome
Earlier research has also revealed that anthocyanins fight cell damage and boost the immune system.
The new study didn’t focus on exactly how much you need of these potent compounds to see these results. But a good goal is to make your plate as colorful as possible.
Some of the top anthocyanin foods include:
- sweet potatoes
- carrots
- red cabbage
- purple cauliflower
- beetroot
- eggplant
- blueberries
- cherries
- plums
And as always, eating what’s IN SEASON locally will give you an added boost.
But be careful not to overcook your veggies. When you do, it destroys some of the very nutrients you’re trying to get more of.
P.S. Cases of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are through the roof. For some extra protection, consider THESE six all-natural nutrients, which are PROVEN fatty liver fighters.
SOURCE:
“Anthocyanins as Promising Molecules Affecting Energy Homeostasis, Inflammation, and Gut Microbiota in Type 2 Diabetes with Special Reference to Impact of Acylation,” J. Agric. Food Chem. 2023, 71, 2, 1002–1017
