Jocelyn Keller, MS, CNS, LDN

How to optimize phytonutrient intake: 1. aim for 9 to 13 servings of plant foods everyday. one serving equals half a cup of cooked vegetables, one cup of raw leafy vegetables, or a medium-sized piece of fruit. 2. know your phytonutrient sources. any and all plant foods contain phytonutrients, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, herbs, and spice.... 3. eat a rainbow of colors. aim to eat at least one food from each color category per day. 4. vary your choices. if we eat the same foods all the time, we will miss out on so many important phytonutrients. aim to try a new food every week to increase variety. 5. maximize combinations. some foods can have synergistic effects on each other, enhancing their absorption and health benefits (ie. adding lemon juice to spinach to help with non-heme iron absorption). 6. be creative with substitutions. swap out commonly eaten foods with more nutrient dense ones (ie. substitute mashed potatoes with mashed sweet or purple potatoes). Source: @instituteforfxmed

What are the benefits of eating WHITE, TAN, and BROWN foods? Although processed foods may come to mind when you think of these colors, white, tan, and brown foods include things like nuts, fruits, vegetables, legumes, spices, seeds, and whole grains. White, tan, and brown foods contain phytonutrient compounds such as allicin, allyl sulfides, cellulose (fiber), lignans, lignins, sesamin, sesamol, tannins, terpenoids, and theobromine. These compounds have anti-cancer and anti-m...icrobial properties and help protect the GI tract, heart, and liver. White, tan, and brown foods include apples, applesauce, bean dips, cauliflower, cocoa, coconut, coffee, dates, garlic, ginger, jicama, legumes (chickpeas, dried beans or peas, hummus, lentils, peanuts, refried beans), mushrooms, nuts (almonds, cashews, pecans, walnuts), onions, pears, sauerkraut, seeds (flax, hemp, pumpkin, sesame, sunflower), shallots, soy, tahini, tea (black, white), and whole grains (barley, brown rice, oat, quinoa, rye, spelt, wheat). @instituteforfxmed

What are the benefits of eating BLUE, PURPLE, and BLACK foods? Blue, purple, and black foods contain phytonutrient compounds, such as anthocyanidins, hydroxystilbenes, procyanidins, pterostilbene, and resveratrol. These compounds have anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties and help to protect the brain and heart. These color foods tend to be consumed less frequently compared to all the other color categories, likely due to the fact that there are fewer foods that fall w...ithin this category. Blue, purple, and black foods include bell pepper, berries (blueberries, blackberries, boysenberries, huckleberries, marionberries), cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, eggplant, figs, grapes, kale, olives, plums, potatoes, prunes, raisins, and rice (black, purple). When it comes to fruits like berries and grapes, smaller, wild fruits tend to be more phytonutrient-rich than other varieties. @instituteforfxmed

What are the benefits of eating GREEN foods? Green foods contain a wealth of phytonutrient compounds, including catechins (EGCG), chlorophyll, glucosinolates (indole-3-carbinol, sulforaphane), isoflavones, phytosterols, and many more. These compounds have anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties and help to protect the brain, heart, liver, and skin. They also promote hormone balance. Green foods are plentiful, but most of us do not consume enough of them. Green foods inc...lude apples, artichokes, asparagus, avocado, bamboo sprouts, bean sprouts, bell peppers, bitter melon, bok choy, broccoli, broccolini, brussels sprouts, cabbage, celery, cucumbers, edamame, green beans, green peas, green tea, greens (arugula, beet, chard, collard, dandelion, kale, lettuce, mustard, spinach, turnip), limes, okra, olives, pears, snow peas, soybeans, snow peas, watercress, and zucchini. @instituteforfxmed