In fruits and vegetables, the most common colors are red, white, yellow / orange, blue or purple and green. Researchers tell us that these colors contained in fruits and vegetables are sources of vitamins, essential minerals, dietary fiber and phytochemicals or phytonutrients that your body needs to promote health, and people feel good. But have you ever asked: How do fruits and vegetables their colors and health?, What are the colors of health, What fruits and vegetables are included in each color? And what could you eat fruits and vegetables to complete your healthy rainbow?

1. Red
The red color is very common in nature and full of optimism and vitality of our food. If we think for a moment about the different colors that fruits and vegetables may have, if you look you can get to make a rainbow with them.

Like all warm colors, red is very common among our kitchen, is often preferred by people. This is because the power of this color excites the taste and appetite. The usually red foods are those that bring more energy.

2. What are red foods?
We will find the color red:

- Vegetables such as bell peppers, radishes and tomatoes.
- Fruits such as cherries, watermelon, red apple, strawberry, pomegranate, raspberry.
- Other red foods. In our markets and our table we find this color among other foods in:

• The rich salmon omega-3 fatty acids, which reduce levels of triglycerides in the blood, protecting against cardiovascular disease.
• Beef (sections lean) and pork are both excellent sources of protein and iron.
• We can not ignore red wine, which contains flavonoids, which act to protect our circulatory system, thus preventing blood clots that are causing cardiovascular accidents. It was also found that wine has resveratrol, which protects us from cancer.

3. What’s in these foods?
These foods contain:

- A pigment called lycopene and is considered by scientists as one of the most potent antioxidants identified today, being our main source of tomatoes in this phytochemical. Studies in Aviano cancer center, show that people who eat raw tomatoes at least 7 times a week reduced by 50% the risk of developing cancer of the stomach, bladder and colon.

- Betacyanins antioxidants that are very beneficial to the body and that we find among the plants like beet red and between red fruits such as pomegranates and cranberries.

- The so-called anthocyanins, very effective anticancer agents.

Furthermore, these foods are high in vitamin C, insoluble fiber (thus preventing constipation and colon cancer) and pectin soluble fiber that acts by controlling the blood cholesterol levels. All this can be found in the berries (cherry, strawberry, raspberry, etc.) and red apples.

- Beta-carotene with anticancer properties, as these have a protective effect against lung tumors, breast, uterus, and prostate coleorectal in addition to guard against solar radiation. This can be found in red peppers and strawberries.

- Flavonoids

- Omega 3 in fish like salmon and iron in meat.

4. How do we help?
Ultimately red foods help us to:

- To have better cardiovascular health.
- Maintain an excellent memory.
- Reducing the suffering urinary system.
- Reducing the risk of cancer.

5. Curiosities of these foods

- Raspberry contains insoluble fiber (5%) has diuretic and laxative effect as well as serving to cure rheumatism.

- The red pepper has a high concentration of antioxidants such as selenium, vitamin C and carotene.

- The tomato is given the name of its high concentration SuperCom lycopene.

- The fruit has more water than is the watermelon (95%), so it stimulates the kidneys to function efficiently, facilitating the elimination of toxins and waste.

- Cherry gives a cherry wine, which when distilled provides a delicious liqueur called kirsch. In addition, sour and sweet cherries are also preserved, if desired, in spirit.

- Strawberries due to its high content of salicylic acid may cause allergic reactions, these are manifested by urticaria and itching. Thus, people allergic to aspirin to strawberries usually are and vice versa.

- If you want to lose a few kilos without going hungry every time you want to snack between meals, eat an apple. Quench, brings energy and non-fattening.

- Red peppers provides over twice the vitamin C found in fruits such as oranges, strawberries or kiwi. In fact, 60 grams of peppers contain the recommended daily allowance of this vitamin.

6. Healthy Tips

- To maintain a balanced and healthy diet, you eat 5 servings of fresh fruits and vegetables a day.

- Vary the food and how to prepare it.

- One serving of vegetables (150-200 grams) is equivalent to a large tomato.

- One serving of fruit (120-200 grams) is equivalent to a medium piece of fruit (apple, orange, banana, pear ..), a cup of strawberries or a cup of cherries or a big slice of watermelon.

- When preparing raw tomatoes or juice, do not do well in advance, otherwise you will lose its nutritional properties (especially vitamin C).

- When preparing salads with tomatoes, do not peel, as their skin is rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber.

Adequate food and proper food choices in everyday play an important role in the prevention of influenza A and any seasonal flu. Moreover, in case of contracting, helps to improve their symptoms and recover quickly.

A good diet can help prevent flu-like feeling. What is a good diet? You should consider the needs of the body, protein and caloric needs should strengthen some minerals commonly found away from what we consume daily. This power must be sufficiently harmonious and appropriate to the time course of the member of the family and provide all the nutrients for our immune system is protected against the threat of the virus.

We can find certain foods that help strengthen the immune system. They are those that contain vitamins and minerals, calcium-in all forms of consumption milk, yoghurt, desserts, seeds) daily intake should exceed 800 mg, and vitamin B complex and folic acid.

Has also been shown that foods such as garlic and onions contain allicin, an efficient antiviral, antibacterial and antioxidant that stimulates the immune system.

It is important to know that beyond that feeding during the period of the disease must be balanced, is much more important to a healthy diet daily, which is the best way to prevent. It is very important that every family is cared and protected with proper selection of fresh and rich in vitamins, minerals and proteins; trying to schedule the daily menu, ordering food intake, doing the 4 meals and, if possible, a snack midmorning or midafternoon. This, coupled with a good rest and the consumption of copious amounts of fluid are key recommendations to facilitate the proper functioning of our immune system.

Ultimately, treatment is based on prevention. Being healthy and well nourished brings therefore less impact on the symptoms of influenza. What to eat? Here are some clues to know where to find minerals, vitamins and protein.

Vitamin C is the best known antioxidant and is blamed for several immunological functions, can relieve flu symptoms, helps to preserve natural barriers against infection, increases the production of various substances such as interferon (a natural antiviral agent) and collagen. Where did you find? In citrus (orange, tangerine and grapefruit) the dark green leafy vegetables, kiwi, mango, pineapple, strawberries, and broccoli and cauliflower.

Vitamin E: it has been shown that repeated use of this vitamin increases the immune response. We found in wheat germ oil, soybean oil, olive oil, nuts (walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts).

Vitamin A is another ally, plays an essential role in infection and maintenance of the natural barriers against infection. It’s in the beef liver, butter, eggs, milk and its derivatives. Beta carotene is the precursor of vitamin A (from the plant kingdom) who after being ingested are converted into vitamin A, they are yellow vegetables such as cabbage or carrots and tomatoes.

But there’s more. They have been immune system disorders related to eating or not eating deficit B vitamins; The lack of this group can reduce the production of antibodies

The B complex is found both in the plant kingdom (green vegetables, nuts (walnuts or almonds and hazelnuts), cereals and legumes (lentils, beans and chickpeas) and in the animal kingdom (usually meat, offal, seafood)) The Vitamin B12 is found in liver, shellfish, red meat and fish.

Also important minerals. For example, iron deficiency is fairly common primarily within the more formal groups (children and pregnant women). The inadequate supply of this mineral leads to anemia, decreased cell proliferation and immune response.

The food source is the liver, red meat in general, offal, sausage, egg yolks and legumes, for its best use is essential to involve their folic acid intake.

Zinc: its deficiency causes alterations of the immune system in general risk groups (pregnant women, children, elderly, people with inadequate feeding practices) are to eat less of this mineral. We also saw that inhibits their use snuff. We found in seafood, seeds in general, legumes, nuts, eggs and dairy.

Selenium: its lack in the diet causes a decrease of bactericidal activity of antibodies. I incorporate eating meat in general, fish, seafood, cereals.

Besides all the foods mentioned, we must pay attention to dairy (milk, cheese, yogurt with probiotics and all derivatives) which are an important nutritional resource to prevent flu or combat in the event that has already been installed. A daily serving of each of our immune system favors

And finally we must not forget to drink fluids during the life-flu-and these may be in the form of water, fresh fruit juice or natural vegetable broths. The daily amount should be increased to 2 liters.

The chocolate, candy, good lamb, are foods that produce pleasure. However, there are also food and nutrients that beyond its role as serving food to prevent illness and health care. These are called functional foods.

Several foods ability to reduce cardiovascular risk, but the most important include plant sterols, can reduce cholesterol levels. They are found in margarine, semi-skimmed milk and acidified milk, allowing the consumption of two grams per day to lower cholesterol between 10 and 20%.

The soy isoflavones, very popular for their current use in yogurt, are also nutrients that can help control cardiovascular diseases. The interest in soy as functional food derived from its high consumption by the Asian population and the few cases that occur in cardiovascular patients.

For hypertension, nothing better than active peptides, usually extracted from milk. The risk of hypertension occurs due to lifestyle with physical activity. A proper diet can control pressure levels.