The phytonutrient challenge: I invite you to join me this week as we strive to eat 1 cup of color (green, red, orange, white and blue) each day!

The bright colors of fresh fruits and vegetables tell a powerful story of their nutrients. The phytonutrients in plants help us fight disease and stay healthy.

What are phytonutients? Plant chemicals, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.
An easy way to think of phytonutrients is to group fruits and veges and visual them by colors: green, red, orange, white and blue. Most people do not get enough of these valuable nutrients. As a culture concerned with weight loss and quick fix dieting for that special size 4 dress - we sometimes focus on food as fuel and we get tripped up with macronutrients- fats, proteins, and carbohydrates....Sort of like "calories in / calories out." However, at the cellular level, our bodies need the right micronutrients for cellular growth and repair and health.

This week, I encourage you to focus on nutrition through a plant-based diet. When we focus our energy on eating more plants, we feel satiated and energized. I have found that over time, the more we connect with natural whole foods, the less we are interested in unhealthy processed foods.

Let's try this together. This week, let's commit to eat 1 cup of each color each day. I am up for the challenge. Will you join me?

Greens: (Example- Broccoli)
Reds: (Example - Grapefruit)
Oranges (Example - Carrots)
Whites: (Example - onion)
Blues: (Example - eggplant)

Below, I have shared three links to help you discover more about phytonutrients.
I invite you to open the first link which is a nice infographic to help you make your selections this week. I am excited to take on this challenge. It feels great knowing that I won't be doing it alone and that we can all be in this together. Here's to a plant-based diet! Here's to us for seeking it out as part of our healthy life!

http://www.precisionnutrition.com/color-chart?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=PromotedPost_phytonutrient_infographic


http://fnic.nal.usda.gov/food-composition/phytonutrients

http://www.m.webmd.com/diet/phytonutrients-faq

Go Plants!
Lisa