Doctors Encourage Americans to Eat More Fruits and Vegetables

March, 2011 - March has arrived and BodyLogicMD affiliated physicians are gearing up for National Nutrition Month. The campaign is sponsored by the American Dietetic Association and focuses on the importance of making informed food choices and developing healthy eating and exercise habits. The theme for 2011 is "Eat Right with Color," encouraging Americans to include a variety of colorful fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins on their plates each day. According to Jacksonville bioidentical hormones expert Dr. Jo Ann Holoka, incorporating a variety of different colored fruits and vegetables into your diet is best way to ensure that you're getting the best all-round benefit from your diet.

"It's no secret that fruits and vegetables are critical dietary components," says Dr. Holoka. "However, many of us were never told that the variety of fruits and vegetables that we eat is just as important as how much we eat on a daily basis."

Not all fruits and vegetables are created equal. Certain colors indicate different nutrients. That's why it's important to ensure that your diet includes a balanced variety of different colored fruits and vegetables.

Dr. Holoka breaks down the color scheme here:

Red - A reddish color indicates nutrients such as lycopene, ellagic acid, Quercetin and Hesperidin. These nutrients reduce the likelihood of prostate cancer, help regulate blood pressure and lower LDL cholesterol levels. Additionally, many of these nutrients have been proven to slow the growth of tumors.

Orange and Yellow - Orange and yellow fruits and vegetables usually contain beta-carotenes, zeaxanthin and potassium. Nutrients such as these can reduce the effects of age-related macular degeneration, improve skin quality and promote strong and healthy bones.

Green - When fruits and vegetables are green, it often means that they're rich in chlorophyll, fiber, lutein, calcium, folate and vitamin C. Many of these nutrients can regulate digestion time, support retinal health and vision, and boost the body's immune system.

Blue and Purple - These contain nutrients such as resveratrol, flavonoids and other antioxidants. Antioxidants help to rid the body of harmful free radicals that cause oxidative stress. Additionally, many of these nutrients can assist in mineral absorption, fight inflammation and even act as anticarcinogens in the digestive tract by limiting the activity of cancer cells.

White - White fruits and vegetables contain beta-glucans, EGCG, SDG and lignans. These nutrients can activate natural killer B and T cells and balance hormone levels naturally, significantly reducing the risk of hormone-related cancers, such as breast cancer.

"Fatty meats, processed sugars, and refined grains have taken a serious toll on our health and are contributing to diseases and conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol and hypertension," says Holoka. "We need focus on our diet, the main component of health, and it all begins with proper nutrition."