Healthy Lifestyle Supplements

Colouring for Healthy Kids

We’ve all heard it. “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” It’s good advice. Apples and other fruits and vegetables are an excellent source of vitamins, fibre and antioxidant nutrients that help prevent illness and repair damage caused by free radicals. Unfortunately, it seems that many of our children haven’t been getting enough of these vital foods.

Statistics show that only 7% of children eat the recommended minimum three servings of vegetables and two servings of fruit every day. In fact, half of all children don’t eat even one piece of fruit in a day. When fried potatoes are excluded from the tally, 30% of children don’t manage to eat a single vegetable either. And the consequences are alarming: more and more children are suffering with allergies and asthma, attention deficit disorder - even cancer and adult onset diabetes! Nearly one out of every five children is considered clinically obese, and this number has more than doubled since 1981.

The problem is that the staples of the North American diet - white sugar, white bread, white pasta - contain few of the nutrients that fuel growing bodies. Colourful fruits and vegetables, on the other hand, contain vitamins A and C as well as magnesium, potassium and zinc that are essential for bone development and growth. Plant foods are also a valuable source of compounds called “phytonutrients”

Scientists have only uncovered the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the benefits of these nutrients. Researchers have isolated the water-soluble flavonoids that colour fruits with vibrant reds, purples, blues and greens, and the fat-soluble carotenoids that provide plant foods and flowers with yellow, red and orange pigments. Along with providing colour, research is uncovering some remarkable health-giving properties of these phytonutrients.

Several flavonoids have proven to halt the growth of cancer cells, prevent antioxidant damage to the skin caused by sun exposure, and prevent free radical damage to lipids (fats), which is a first step in the development of hardening of the arteries. Look for flavonoids in beautifully coloured fruits and berries. Beta-carotene, a carotenoid found in carrots and sweet potato, is beneficial for eye health. Spinach and corn provide zeaxanthin, an important carotenoid. The red pigment in tomatoes, lycopene, may reduce the risk of cancer in the pancreas, cervix and prostate.

When it comes to your children’s health, skip the white foods and instead offer a multi-coloured menu to be sure that they are getting all of the nutrients that their growing bodies need. Keep easy-to-eat baby carrots, berries and fruits readily accessible. Teach your kids to aim for the equivalent of three servings of vegetables and two servings of fruit each day, and encourage them to mix their colours. Have them start the day right by stirring a whole food supplement into a glass of juice or a smoothie for a delicious and nutritious morning treat. When choosing a supplement, look for one that combines all of the colours of nature. The result will be beautiful - and healthy.