Vitamin A is called the “vision vitamin” because it does so much for your eyes — and orange and yellow fruits and vegetables are loaded with phytonutrients that your body turns into vitamin A. The health benefits of orange and yellow foods don’t stop there: They can also boost your immune system and help protect against cancer. Whether a food is orange or yellow, it still gives you the same benefits.
If you’re pregnant, you might need to limit your intake of vitamin A. Check with your physician before you make any changes to your diet.
What are phytonutrients?
The helpful nutrients in fruits and vegetables are called phytonutrients. Although plants produce these chemicals to defend themselves against predators, they have many different health benefits for humans.
It’s always better to get your phytonutrients from fruits and vegetables than from supplements. Supplements make it easier to get too much of a nutrient, which can be harmful — and they don’t give you the same wide variety of nutrients that fruits and vegetables do.
What phytonutrients are in orange and yellow fruits and vegetables?
Orange foods are famous for having carotenoids, such as alpha-carotene,beta-carotene, and beta-cryptoxanthin. Your body converts all these chemicals to vitamin A, which helps to benefit your vision. Orange foods are also a great source of vitamin C, and they contain lutein and a kind of vitamin B called folate as well.
It’s always better to get your phytonutrients from fruits and vegetables than from supplements. Supplements make it easier to get too much of a nutrient, which can be harmful — and they don’t give you the same wide variety of nutrients that fruits and vegetables do.
What health benefits do orange and yellow fruits and vegetables have?
They protect your eyes.
Your body converts carotenoids to vitamin A, which has powerful effects on your eyes. Vitamin A protects the surface of your eyes, helps to stop inflammation in your eyes, and might even help with vision loss from macular degeneration.
They help your immune system.
Citrus fruits and cantaloupe are a great source of vitamin C, which boosts your immune system and helps it fight off infections.
They help fight cancer.
Carotenoids, particularly alpha-carotene, have been shown to reduce the risk of cancer.
Folate helps protect and repair your DNA, which helps your body avoid the cell mutations that can lead to cancer.
Orange and yellow fruits and vegetables are plentiful and easy to add into many different recipes. If you’d like to “see” the benefits for yourself, here are some delicious ways to get started.
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