Who Needs Skittles?!

Who needs skittles when vegetables are so colourful?! Create a rawesome summer salad full of all the in season produce. 

Why should we include colour in our diet? It not only makes food look more appealing but each colour proivides a wide range of health benefits that other colours may not. 

Green: Greens like lettuce, spinach, avocado, cabbage and broccoli, to name a few, contain high amounts of fiber as well as compounds which have been shown to have anti-cancer properties and carotenoids (lutein and zeaxanthin) which protect your eyesight.

Red: Red fruit and vegetables like tomato, red peppers, strawberries and cranberries are synonymously high in lycopene, known for it's defence against heart disease, and ellagic acid, which has anti-cancer benefits.

Yellow: Yellow fruit and vegetables like yellow peppers, lemons, corn and squash are filled with carotenoids and bioflavonoids as well as high levels of Vitamin C, all helpful towards your vision, heart, digestive system and immune system. 

Orange: Orange fruit and vegetables like carrots, orange pepper, pumpkin, apricot and mango are extremely high in beta-carotene, helpful in boosting the immune system and maintaining healthy skin and eyesight.

Blue/Purple: Blue and Purple fruit and veg are high in anthocyanins which can help to prevent urinary tract infections and gum disease as well as reducing the risk of metabolic syndrome, diabetes and heart disease.

White: White foods, like onion, garlic, bananas and cauliflower, contain important phytochemicals like quercetin (in onions), which has been shown to lower the risk of heart disease and help relieve the symptoms of certain allergies and hay fever. Garlic also contains antioxidants which act as an antibiotic as well as a lowering risk factor in cancer.

My rainbow salad above has (from outside layer in): Rosso Lettuce, Iceberg Lettuce, Tomato, Cyprus Lettuce, Courgette, Carrot, Onion, Cabbage, Yellow Pepper, Green Pepper, Avocado, Almonds and Walnut to top! 

What's your favourite fruit and veg of each colour?