Yes, that blog post title really did just happen. I'm kicking it old school folks. :) Okay, forgive me.
I happen to love the color orange. It's not my favorite color...but it's right up there! It just makes me feel happy when I look at it, and dark oranges actually give me a calm feeling. At first it was difficult to think of orange colored fruits and vegetables...besides the obvious "orange," but after I really started thinking about it, I couldn't stop naming them.
Do you love orange colored fruits and veggies?? If so, you will be pleased to find out that orange fruits and veggies are known for extending lifespans. (So to be immortal, I just have to eat oranges every day?!?!?)
Orange fruits and vegetables contain high levels of alpha-carotene, a powerful antioxidant. Alpha-carotene enjoys it's daily ride through the blood stream, lowering the risks of heart disease and cancer (especially prostate cancer) along the way. Yes, other fruits and vegetables help lower the risks as well for those diseases, but according to a study completed by the American Medical Association, people who have high levels of alpha-carotene in their bloodstream tend to either prevent the diseases all together or survive through them with much less suffering. Click here to find out more about the study.
Orange fruits and vegetables are most beneficial due to high levels of beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is what gives the fruits and veggies their bright orange color! It is also the key to keeping good eye-sight, keeping skin safe from the sun, and slowing down aging of the brain (immature men and women shouldn't eat orange fruits and veggies I'm guessing??).
Vitamin A can also be found in orange fruits and veggies. As we learned earlier, vitamin A is very important to the immune system, and guess what?!? It's also great for helping out our night vision! Yay for this overachieving vitamin! Vitamin A, along with antioxidants, prevents damage to tissues within the eyes caused by free radicals. Since free radicals are known to elevate the risk for getting diabetes, Vitamin A and antioxidants also play key roles in preventing that disease along with heart disease and cancer. Click here for more info....AND here. :)
There are so many tasty orange fruits and vegetables! Sometimes it's all in how you cook them (or don't cook them) that really brings out the flavor. Try a butternut squash soup on a cold day or an orange and walnut salad to cool off on a hot day OR make yourself a fresh squeezed glass of orange juice...OR some sugar-free carrot cake!!! I could go on and on and on...One of my favorite orange vegetables is the mini-orange bell pepper. They come in the bag with the mini-yellow and red bell peppers. They all taste basically the same, but BOY do they add pretty color to fajitas or on top of some broiled tilapia...OR just stuffed with cream cheese and wrapped in bacon!!
LOVE them!Did you eat your orange fruits and veggies today??
Tomorrow's challenge: (Day 6 - Eat the color brown)
Yes, brown. :) I know you are probably thinking, what the heck kind of fruit or vegetable is brown, right? Potatoes are brown on the outside but the inside is more pale or tan and it's more of a starch than anything else...so, what am I talking about??? Well, it's important to eat your grains and beans too!! (If you want to get adventurous, jicama counts in this group too :).
So, eat one cup of grains or beans tomorrow and check back in to find out why they are so good for you!
We are almost finished with this challenge, but I'm so excited for what's in store for this blog! Thank you for reading!
Have a great day!!!
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*Disclaimer: All of the information provided here is the opinion of the author after thorough research of medical surveys, medical reports, and medical/government web site information. It has not been reviewed by a medical professional and results cannot be guaranteed by the author. Consult with your doctor before planning any diet or fitness changes.
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