Add a little colour to your plate with these red foods

FRUITS and vegetables are a great way to get many healthy nutrients into our diet. Research shows that the red colour in fruits and vegetables contains antioxidants that reduce the risk of hypertension and high cholesterol.

Red foods consist of everything from fruits, including watermelon, strawberries, cherries, raspberries, and apples; and vegetables like tomatoes, red peppers, red onions and red cabbage.

They offer many health benefits because they have some of the following nutrients; lycopene, ellagic acid, quercetin, hesperidin, fibre, vitamin A and vitamin C.

Tomatoes

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Tomatoes are known as lycopene superstars. One of the key components of the Mediterranean diet, lycopene is particularly beneficial for cardiovascular health and heart disease prevention. Cooking tomatoes (think tomato sauce) greatly increases the bioavailability of lycopene.

Tomatoes also make a great choice for healthy snacking and many recipes like omelettes, soups, stews, and salads, of course.

Strawberries

Strawberries are a good source of

antioxidants, and powerhouse vitamin C, which, among other things, promotes immune system function. To get extra, try sprinkling strawberries on cereal or combining frozen strawberries in a smoothie with skim milk and frozen yoghurt.

Beetroot

Beetroot is full of vitamins and minerals and also has been found helpful in Alzheimer’s disease by recent studies. It is eaten boiled, chopped, raw, or

roasted, either combined or alone. Pomegranates

The unique antioxidant found in many red fruits – anthocyanins – is one of the many heart-smart nutrients found in pomegranates.

Studies have found that pomegranate juice can improve blood flow in patients with heart disease, and prevent atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).

The juice can be sweet or sour,

depending on when the pomegranate was harvested.

Cherries

Sweet and juicy, cherries are full of antioxidants, and high in fibre. You can enjoy them on granola or whole grain cereal, as part of a well-balanced lunch or as a fun afternoon snack.

Frozen cherries offer the same nutritional benefits as their fresh counterparts, so keep these in your freezer for a smoothie addition or a frozen treat.