Vibrant Plates, Healthy Lives
Brighten up your diet with colour. Eating vibrant-hued foods is a great way to boost health and possibly add years to your life.
We’re talking about naturally colourful foods—not Skittles or M&Ms! A variety of veggies and fruits on your plate not only provides a feast for the eyes but also nourishes the body and mind and lowers your risk of missing out on vital nutrients. They’re the backbone of a healthy diet.
Steer clear of blah, beige food – potato chips, bread, white rice, crackers, fried chicken, breakfast cereals and processed grains are not only void of colour, but many of these highly processed items are void of nutrition too.
Reach for a rainbow of ruby reds, glowing greens and yellows, vibrant purples and oranges. Fruits and vegetables each get their colour from phytochemicals and are packed with multiple minerals, vitamins and potent plant chemicals that are health-boosting and protect us from chronic disease. Their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects benefit different aspects of our health.
Try to include a mix of two to three different-coloured veggies or fruits at every meal and at snack time, too. Low in calories and high in water content, they’re filling and satiating—and just so good for you!
Delight the eyes and tastebuds with colourful edible flowers like pansies, lavender, roses, wild violets, marigolds, hibiscus and dandelions. Herb blossoms like cilantro, radish and basil flowers are delicious too. Some are sweet and others are savoury, and like fruits and veggies, they bloom with nutrients and bioactive compounds that support our health and well-being.
You may think that they’re almost too pretty to eat but dig in and use either as a garnish or incorporate into a dish itself. Edible flowers are on menus around the world, and their use in cooking is an ancient practice dating back to the middle ages. There’s an increasing interest in these petal-perfect ingredients for their beautiful bursts of natural colour, flavour and texture – they elevate pizza, omelets, salads, teas and even entrees.
In our edible landscape at Ste. Anne’s, our kitchen gardens and edible flower garden flourish with the most colourful and healthy of superfoods. Pretty pansies, nasturtiums, marigolds, thyme and many more, greet guests along our cedar-lined entrance walkway. These delicious flowers, in addition to our abundant veggies grown on site, transform nutritious farm-to-table meals into something beautiful and magical, and further connect guests to nature in flavour-filled ways.
Each flower provides different health benefits including healthy doses of fibre, vitamins A, B-complex, C and E, flavonoids and powerful antioxidants. Up your fight against cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases, support heart health and immune function, reduce inflammation, aid digestion, induce calmness or rejuvenate the skin.
So add a sprinkling of flavourful flowers for a treat and focus on summer’s bounty of nutrient-dense fruits and veggies daily for optimal healthy eating:
Bright red produce, like tomatoes, watermelon and grapefruit, fuels us with potassium, folate and vitamins A and C and are linked to benefiting heart health, reducing sun-related skin damage and possibly lowering the risk of certain cancers. Apples are a nutritional powerhouse linked to helping prevent dementia and reducing the risk of stroke and diabetes. Dark red beets may help lower the risk of high blood pressure.
Orange and yellow produce, including carrots, bananas, tangerines, yellow peppers and squashes, delivers fibre, folate, potassium and vitamins A and C, supporting heart health and the immune system and lowering cancer risk.
Go for green cruciferous veggies, including kale, broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts, and bok choy. They’re low in calories and rich in fibre, folate and vitamins C, E and K., aiding in lowering the risk of heart disease and some cancers and boosting vision health and strong bones.
No time for the blues with blueberries, blackberries, plums, red/purple cabbage and eggplant. High in fibre, potassium and vitamins like vitamin C, B6 and K1, these are also linked to promoting cognitive health and protecting from neurological disorders, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers.
Make room on your plate for beige veggies like cauliflower, leeks, onions, mushrooms and parsnips. Feast on folate, fibre and potassium while benefitting your heart and controlling cholesterol levels.
