Every food item that we consume has a distinct color which adds a lot of value to its nutrition. Ensuring that certain colors are a part of your diet will not only be a feast to your eyes and taste buds, but will also keep you in a healthier state.

• Green- One of the healthiest green colored vegetable is spinach. Though children and expecting mothers are the ones who are the most recommended eating these vegetable, young healthy adults should also make this an important part of their diet. Spinach is rich in iron and calcium though there are also trace amounts of vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, magnesium and omega-3 fatty acids. Spinach can add some distinct flavor to the meal and can be had in raw, boiled and steamed state.

• Red- The most obvious choice for red is tomato. This is because it is rich in a carotenoid called as lycopene. Lycopene is believed to decrease the risk of cancer. Tomatoes are also rich in vitamin C and vitamin A. Another option for red is carrots which is also a good source of carotenoids in the form of beta-carotene and alpha-carotene and is rich in vitamin A. Both, tomatoes and carrots are best consumed raw as their nutrition level is high in that state.

• Yellow- One of the best sources of this color is Papaya. This seedy fruit gets this color from carotene and xanthophylls pigments that are found in chromoplasts of the pulp of this fruit. It is recommended to have this fruit only after digestion as it has proteolytic enzyme, papain, which is said to improve digestion. It is also said to help the body extract the maximum nutrition from the digested food. Papaya is also rich in beta-carotene which is an antioxidant and is a good source of vitamin A, B and C.

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