An expert cook knows what value each ingredient brings to the cuisine. That’s the skill a true expert cook masters over the years. The journey of becoming an expert cook can be challenging. That’s why platforms like Prepared Cooks help new and experienced cooks with cooking tips and hacks to master the culinary art.
Understanding the health benefits of various vegetables, fruits, spices is one more skill an expert cook has to master. There’s no doubt that green vegetables have a lot of nutrients that keep the human body healthy. But what do other colored vegetables and fruits provide? Especially the beautiful orange ones?
This article will help you understand the health benefits of orange-colored foods like vegetables and fruits. Let’s take a look.
5 Unbelievable Health Benefits of Orange-Colored Foods
Reduced Risk of Cancer: Scientists believe that damaged DNA may be the root cause of cancer cell generation. Orange veggies and fruits are powerhouses of antioxidants. These antioxidants fight the free radicals that harm the DNA in cells. These super antioxidants are beta-carotene, naturally present in orange-colored foods like carrots, cantaloupes, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, etc. Including orange fruits and veggies in your diet can reduce the risk of cancer.
Balanced Blood Pressure: An average American citizen consumes more sodium while the potassium intake is deficient. This imbalance can cause high blood pressure, which can lead to strokes and other cardiovascular health problems.
Eating more fruits and vegetables can increase the potassium intake in the body. Orange fruits like acorn squash, butternut, carrots, and sweet potatoes are high in potassium, and eating them can help maintain normal blood pressure levels.
Stronger Teeth and Gums: Poor dental health leads to more health problems and affects the quality of life. Orange vegetables contain high vitamin A levels, which help keep the salivary glands and mucosal tissue in the mouth healthy. The lack of vitamin A can cause brittle teeth. Orange veggies like carrots, squash, and sweet potatoes have higher levels of vitamin A.
Red veggies like red peppers and tomatoes have higher vitamin C. The deficiency of vitamin C can cause bleeding gums and loose teeth. Including red and orange vegetables in your diet can make your teeth and gums stronger.
Improved Eyesight: The carotenoids present in the orange vegetables are the reason behind their orange, red and yellow color. Two particular carotenoids, zeaxanthin and lutein, are essential for healthy eyesight and reduce cataracts and macular degeneration. The vitamin A present in carrots and red peppers increases the ability of the eyes to function in low light.
Eating orange food like carrots and sweet potatoes containing beta-carotene will improve vision as the human body turns them into vitamin A. Eating more orange veggies and fruits can enhance your eyesight and night vision.
Nutrition: Orange and red veggies and fruits are nutritional powerhouses, and thankfully all are low in calories. They have almost all the nutrients to keep your body healthy and free from diseases. They contain significant amounts of
- Fiber
- Potassium
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin K
One medium-sized carrot contains 1 gram of protein, 0 grams of fat, 5 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of sugar, 2 grams of fiber. You get all these nutrients in just 25 calories. So instead of eating a piece of carrot pie, you can eat an actual carrot to get more nutrition without the added sugar, oil, and salt.
A professional cook should know the health benefits of orange vegetables and fruits so that he/she can include them in the delicious meals they cook. As mentioned before, websites like Prepared Cooks do a fantastic job of providing insightful information about cooking and health in tips, recipes, and hacks that help turn amateur cooks into expert chefs.